MUSCAT: Two-time champion Pakistan beat Malaysia in the first semi-final of the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2018 at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat on Saturday.
Pakistan beat Malaysia 3-1 in the penalty shootout. The team was leading 4-1 and then Malaysia scored three goals to make it 4-4 at the end of the second half.
The green shirts did not have the services of the captain Mohammad Rizwan who left the field on Thursday with a hamstring injury.
The green shirts have now qualified for final of the tournament which is to be played on Sunday where they will face either India or Japan who also play a semi-final.
Pakistan, in the tournament, were the second topped the pool standings with 10 points in the round-robin stage from five matches. Out of the five matches, the green shirts won 3, lost one against India, and drew one match against Japan.
They beat South Korea, Oman, and Malaysia. The biennial event is being held in Muscat this year.
The six-nation tournament which kicked off on October 18 features Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea and hosts Oman.