AMSTERDAM, 23 August, 2026 (Ghufran): Pakistan ended a 16-year wait for a victory in the Hockey World Cup after defeating Japan 4-3 in a classification match at the FIH Hockey World Cup in the Netherlands. The victory marked Pakistan’s first win in a Hockey World Cup match since 2010, when the national team defeated Spain 2-1. Pakistan failed to qualify for the 2014 Hockey World Cup, while the team could not secure a single victory at the 2018 edition. In the match against Japan, Rana Waheed scored twice for Pakistan, while Hannan Shahid and Hammad also found the net once each. Pakistan held on to its 4-3 lead until the final whistle to secure a much-needed victory and boost its campaign at the ongoing Hockey World Cup in the Netherlands. The win is expected to provide renewed confidence to the national side as it continues its World Cup campaign.