Nadeem’s treble gives Pakistan a blistering start

Pakistan opened their Pool B campaign with a commanding 9-0 victory over Thailand at Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium on Sunday, scoring in every quarter to underline their dominance.

Pakistan led 2-0 after the first quarter before adding three goals in the second to take a 5-0 advantage into halftime. They continued to control the contest after the break, scoring twice in the third quarter and twice more in the final period.

Ahmad Nadeem was Pakistan's leading scorer with three field goals, finding the net in the 20th, 37th and 43rd minutes. Sufyan Khan added two goals from penalty corners, while Moin Shakeel, Ammad Butt, Waheed Rana and Abdul Shahid each scored once.

Pakistan enjoyed 57 percent possession and earned seven penalty corners to Thailand's two, according to the match statistics. Thailand failed to register a goal during the 60-minute contest.

Shakeel opened the scoring in the eighth minute before Butt doubled Pakistan's lead four minutes later. Nadeem then scored from open play in the 20th minute, followed by two penalty-corner conversions from Khan in the 22nd and 23rd minutes.

Rana struck in the 31st minute and Shahid added another three minutes later as Pakistan extended their lead to 7-0. Nadeem completed his hat-trick in the 43rd minute before Pakistan added their ninth goal later in the match.

Nadeem converted three of his four attempts, while Shakeel and Butt were both clinical with one goal from one attempt. Khan scored twice from six attempts.

Pakistan next face Uzbekistan on September 22, while Thailand meet China later the same.