KARACHI: Four-time world champions Pakistan lost the hockey test series 0-2 against hosts Ireland after the latter recorded another 3-2 victory in the third and final match of the series at the Lisnagarvey Hockey Club in Belfast on Sunday.

According to the information received here, Pakistan started the series with some confidence taking lead twice before the host side managed to manage a 2-2 draw in the first match. But in the second match, Ireland put up a strong show and took lead twice before eventually winning 3-2.

The green-shirts’ performance graph further declined in the third match as they conceded two goals in the first half without scoring one.

The tourists were only able to reduce margin to 1-2 and 2-3 but were never able to make it even throughout the match.

The defeat in the series should be an eye-opener for the team management and the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) think-tank before it is too late.

Pakistan will be featuring in the World Hockey League (WHL) semi-finals from June 15 in London, which offers direct berth to five top teams out of the ten competing in the event in the 2018 World Cup. Another top five teams from WHL’s other semis event to be held in Johannesburg in July will also directly qualify for the World Cup.

A few more teams may make it to the World Cup apart from the ten teams from the two WHL semi-final events since the 16-team 2018 World Cup offers direct berth to continental champions and hosts India separately.

There is high probability that continental champions and hosts India may end up among top five teams from WHL semi-finals, which may pave the way for lower-ranked teams from WHL semi-finals event.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2017