Pakistan’s Asian Games campaign gathers pace with five bronze medals

Pakistan has secured five bronze medals at the ongoing Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, while its men’s cricket and hockey teams remain in contention for further medals as the competition enters its final stages.

Pakistan’s medals have come across women’s cricket, squash, modern MMA and esports.

The women’s cricket team secured bronze after beating Bangladesh by 31 runs in the third-place match. Captain Fatima Sana’s 45 helped Pakistan post 145-8 before Umm-e-Hani claimed three wickets as Bangladesh finished on 114-7.

Squash has produced two more medals for Pakistan. Noor Zaman and Muhammad Ashab Irfan both reached the men’s singles semifinals, guaranteeing bronze medals before losing their respective last-four matches. Noor later defeated Ashab in an all-Pakistan bronze-medal playoff.

Pakistan also picked up a bronze in modern MMA through Asim Khan, while the country’s PUBG Mobile team finished third in the esports competition with 100 points. Thailand won gold with 128 points and China took silver with 114.

The country now has two prominent team events still alive in the medal race.

Pakistan’s men’s hockey team reached the semifinals after finishing second in Pool B. The team recorded four wins, including a 7-2 victory over Oman in its final pool match, with Rana Waheed scoring a hat-trick and Sufyan Khan adding two goals. Pakistan’s only pool-stage defeat came against Malaysia.

In men’s cricket, Pakistan also advanced to the semifinals after persistent rain washed out its quarterfinal against Hong Kong without a ball being bowled. Pakistan progressed as the higher-ranked side under the tournament’s playing conditions.

Pakistan will face Bangladesh in the cricket semifinal on October 1, while India will meet Sri Lanka in the other last-four match.

With five bronze medals already secured and hockey and cricket still in the knockout stages, Pakistan remains in contention for further podium finishes before the Asian Games conclude.