Disappointing start

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Pakistan's return to the FIH Hockey World Cup after an eight-year absence was supposed to mark the beginning of hope - if not a revival. Instead, the national team's 4-1 loss to England in the opening game of the tournament in Amstelveen, Netherlands, has dampened hopes and shown just how much ground Pakistan still have to cover before they can again be counted among the sport's serious contenders.

Losing to England – a well-organised side with great depth and consistency – is not a shocker. However, the manner of Saturday's defeat is difficult to ignore. England scored in every quarter, while Pakistan managed only one goal. More tellingly, England converted two of their six penalty corners, whereas Pakistan failed to make either of their two opportunities count. In a tournament where fine margins and set pieces decide matches, such inefficiency is costly.

Having missed the 2023 World Cup, Pakistan returned to the global stage after an eight-year absence by producing a spirited comeback against Japan in the semi-finals of the qualifying tournament, scoring three times in the final nine minutes to win 4-3. That performance suggested a side capable of fighting back under pressure. That said, the gap between Pakistan and the top contending teams cannot simply be attributed to one bad day. Pakistan hockey has suffered from years of institutional instability and a shortage of the sustained investment required to produce a deep pool of world-class players.

Qualification should, therefore, not be mistaken for recovery; it is merely an opportunity to begin rebuilding. At the same time, it would be premature to write this team off. The World Cup has only just begun, and Pakistan's next assignment is against Wales on Monday. The tournament format gives the squad ample opportunity to recover, with a match against India still to come in what could prove to be a decisive Pool D encounter.