HANGZHOU: Pakistan endured a mixed day at the Asian Games on Wednesday with joy and despair in equal measure.

While Pakistan’s cricketers came unstuck in the semi-finals of the men’s Twenty20 tournament against Afghanistan, their hockey counterparts downed Malaysia to finish fifth.

Karateka Mohammad Awais advanced to a bronze medal match, where he lost to his Thai opponent, while the men’s kabbadi team — which had already secured bronze by reaching the semi-finals — were thrashed by arch-rivals India in their last-four clash.

On an overcast day at the Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field, Afghanistan beat Pakistan by four wickets to set up a gold-medal match against India.

Afghanistan, boasting a handful of quality players, skittled Pakistan for 115 after sending them in, with Fareed Ahmad snapping up three wickets and spinners Qais Ahmad and Zahir Khan two apiece.

Afghanistan smacked two boundaries in the first over of the chase, but lost focus and slumped to 35-3.

Noor Ali Zadran kept his cool to steady the ship with 39 but when he and Afsar Zazai fell within three balls, it was game on at 71-5 in the 13th over.

But they battled to within 23 runs with 18 balls left, and got them all in one wayward over from Aamer Jamal, with skipper Gulbadin Naib doing the damage with a heroic 26.

Pakistan, who failed to medal in the women’s event won by India, have only bronze to play for against Bangladesh, who were crushed by nine wickets in the other semi-final against India.

Pakistan’s hockey team needed to make a statement after failing to make it to the semi-finals of the Games, with a spot at next year’s Olympics on offer for the winner.

They will at least head to the Olympic qualfiers in Oman at the start of next year with a morale-boosting win.

Malaysia took the lead in the fifth minute at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Stadium when Aminuddin Zain found the net off a penalty corner but Pakistan hit back to level the scores just three minutes later through a drag-flick by Ahmad Arbaz.

After a goalless second quarter, Pakistan edged ahead 2-1 through another penalty corner goal, this time by Abdul Rehman in the 37th minute.

The final quarter saw Pakistan take a 4-1 lead through a field goal by Rana Abdul Waheed in the 51st minute and a penalty corner goal by Ammad Mohammad two minutes later.

Malaysia pulled one back in the dying minutes of the game through a penalty corner goal by Razie Rahim, Pakistan sealed the win with a field goal by Afraz soon after.

The only chance for Pakistan to add to their medals tally on the day came at the Linping Sports Centre Gymnasium where Awais reached the bronze medal match in the men’s 84kg kumite competition.

Having lost his quarter-final bout 1-9 to eventual gold medallist Sajad Ganjizadeh of Iran, Awais enjoyed a walkover against Vatthana Xayasan in the repechage bout to get through to a medal bout where he fell 3-5 to Thailand’s Teerawat Kangtong.

In the 60kg competition, Awais’ compatriot Hamayun advanced to the quarter-finals by beating Timor Leste’s Julio Quefi Ailerbrito Da Silva 2-0 but was beaten 8-2 by Jordanian Abdul Hamad in the last-eight bout.

Wrestler Mohammad Bilal was also unable to go beyond the quarter-finals of the 57kg freestyle competition as he lost 0-10 to Kazakh Rakhat Kalzhan.

India compounded Pakistan’s misery at the Xiaoshan Guali Sports Centre as they powered to a 61-14 win against their arch-rivals to set up a men’s kabaddi final against Iran.

Pakistan were hardly a match for the nippy and technically superior Indian counterparts who took a massive 30-5 lead at the end of the first session, securing two bonus points along with the 22 and six points they earned through ‘outs’ and ‘all outs’ respectively.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2023