JOHOR BAHRU: Pakistan outplayed South Africa 6-2 to qualify for the semi-finals in the International Hockey Federation (FIH) World Hockey League played in Malaysia on Tuesday.
Abdul Haseem Khan scored a hat-trick as the green shirts raced to a two goal lead by the 17th minute.
South Africa managed to pull a goal back in the 25th minute when Wade Paton drag flicked a sensational penalty corner effort just inside the right post.
But Pakistan responded almost immediately as Haseem got a crucial touch on a penalty corner to score his first goal of the game and Pakistan’s third. They went into the half with the green shirts leading 3-1.
Pakistan started the second half much the same way they did the first as Haseem finished off a move by putting the ball into the goal on 41 minutes.
South Africa then tried to put Pakistan under a spell of pressure, but the green shirts responded with another goal as Haseem secured his hat trick and effectively killed off the match as a contest.
Pakistan’s Mohammad Zubair turned in Shakeel Abassi’s corss-shot to secure a brace before the South Africans got a consolation goal.
With the win giving Pakistan a better goal difference than England, they topped Group B and will now face South Korea, who finished fourth in Group A, in the quarter finals on Thursday.
