New Zealand beat Pakistan after Scott Cosslett's amazing hat-trick led his team to victory in the FIH Nations Cup on Wednesday at the National Hockey Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.
Pakistan dominated the opening quarter, racing to a 3-1 lead by the end of the first 15 minutes. Although New Zealand struck first through Nic Woods in the sixth minute, Pakistan responded swiftly with two goals in the 13th and 14th minutes, both netted by Abdul Rehman.
Rana Waheed Ashraf then extended the lead with a third goal in the 28th minute, putting the Green Shirts firmly in control.
However, New Zealand mounted a strong comeback in the second half. Scott Cosslett emerged as the game-changer, scoring twice in the third quarter — in the 43rd and 45th minutes — to draw level.
He completed his hat-trick in the 52nd minute via a penalty corner, sealing a dramatic turnaround and handing the Kiwis a decisive 4-3 lead.
It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan's opening match of the tournament, against Malaysia, ended in a 3-3 draw, despite Pakistan taking the lead twice during the game.
In their second outing, the Men in Green edged past Japan 3-2 in a thrilling encounter, mounting a comeback after trailing 2-1 to clinch a hard-fought victory.
The loss is a significant setback to Pakistan's semi-final hopes, which now hinge on the outcome of the Malaysia vs Japan match.
A defeat for Malaysia could still see Pakistan advance to the final four.
Meanwhile, France and Korea have already confirmed their semi-final berths from Pool A.
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