Tuesday was a mixed day for Pakistan at the Asian Games. The Pakistan hockey kabaddi Asian Games teams both kept winning, while the fencing and soft tennis teams had a much harder time. Here is a simple breakdown of everything that happened.
Hockey: Pakistan Beats Uzbekistan 5-1
Pakistan’s hockey team won its second match in a row, beating Uzbekistan 5-1 at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium. The first quarter ended with no goals. Then Mohammad Ammad scored for Pakistan in the 18th minute. But Uzbekistan surprised everyone by scoring an equalizer right at half-time, through a penalty corner from Shokhrukhbek Salimjonov.
That goal woke Pakistan up. Just three minutes after the second half started, Sufyan Khan scored from a penalty corner to put Pakistan back in front — his third goal in two matches. Abdul Rehman then made it 3-1 in the 40th minute, also from a penalty corner. Abu Mahmood added a fourth goal from a penalty, and Sufyan Khan scored again in the 57th minute to make the final score 5-1.
Pakistan had already beaten Thailand 9-0 in their first match on Sunday. Their next match is against China on Thursday, and China has also been playing well, beating Thailand 8-1.
Kabaddi: Pakistan Wins Again, Beats Nepal 58-43
Pakistan’s kabaddi team also won their second match, defeating Nepal 58-43 at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium. Led by captain Mudassar Ali, Pakistan built a strong 30-17 lead by half-time. Nepal played much better in the second half and tried to come back, but the early lead was simply too big to catch up to.
Pakistan’s defense was excellent, forcing six “all-outs” against Nepal, while Pakistan’s raiders earned eight bonus points. In total, there were 44 “outs” recorded in the match. Pakistan will now play Thailand next, on Wednesday.
Fencing: A Difficult Day for Pakistan
Pakistan’s fencers had a tough time in the men’s foil individual event at the Aichi Sky Expo Hall. Baryal Khan, 25, lost all five of his matches. He lost 5-0 to India’s Sachin, 5-1 to South Korea’s Jeonghyun Youn, and then lost to fencers from Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Chinese Taipei as well.
18-year-old Yaseen Khan also lost all five of his matches. Four of those five losses were by a score of 5-0. His only point of the whole event came in a 5-1 loss to Kazakhstan’s Timofey Semyonov.
Equestrian: A Middle-of-the-Pack Finish
In the individual eventing dressage event, Pakistan’s Usman Khan, 45, finished 19th out of 32 riders. Riding a horse named Eden du Veret, he scored 36.70 penalty points, which worked out to 63.33%. This places him just below the halfway mark in a strong field of competitors. He still has two more parts of the competition left — jumping and cross-country — where he can try to improve his overall position.
Soft Tennis: Another Tough Day
Pakistan’s soft tennis players also struggled on Tuesday. In the singles matches, both Pakistani players lost 4-0 at the Nagoya City Higashiyama Park Tennis Centre. In the men’s singles matches, both Pakistani players also lost every match, without winning even a single game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Pakistan’s hockey team win their match at the Asian Games?
Yes. Pakistan beat Uzbekistan 5-1, winning their second match in a row after already beating Thailand 9-0 in their opening game.
Did Pakistan’s kabaddi team win too?
Yes. Pakistan beat Nepal 58-43, also making it two wins from two matches so far.
How did Pakistan’s fencers perform?
Not well. Both Pakistani fencers, Baryal Khan and Yaseen Khan, lost all five of their individual bouts in the men’s foil event.
Who does Pakistan’s hockey team play next?
Pakistan faces China on Thursday, while the kabaddi team plays Thailand on Wednesday.
Pakistan is having a strong start to the Asian Games in hockey and kabaddi, even though the fencing, soft tennis, and equestrian events haven’t gone as smoothly. With more matches still to come, there’s plenty of time left for Pakistan’s other athletes to turn their results around.
