Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced a reward of Rs1.5 million for each player of the national hockey team following the team’s performance in the FIH Hockey World Cup qualifier, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.

The announcement comes after the team secured a place in the upcoming hockey World Cup, marking their return to the tournament after an eight-year absence. It will be hosted jointly by Belgium and the Netherlands in August this year.

Quoting a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Radio Pakistan said the team’s performance represented a “significant step towards promoting hockey in Pakistan”.

The premier also “acknowledged the team’s hard work and dedication to the sport,” the statement added.

As per the statement, the prime minister maintained that the participation of the team in the World Cup qualifiers — held in Egypt — had “generated excitement and enthusiasm among hockey fans”.

The premier stressed the monetary reward was a “clear testament” to the team’s “steadfastness”.

On March 6, Pakistan put up an impressive performance to edge Japan 4-3 in the semi-final of the FIH Hockey World Cup qualifier at the Suez Canal Authority Hockey Stadium in Egypt, guaranteeing the Green Shirts a place in the upcoming World Cup.

Once a giant force in global hockey and four-time World Cup winners, Pakistan had failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in The Hague, Netherlands.

Pakistan also failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup, which was held in the Indian city of Odisha.