Green Shirts to face Malaysia, China, Oman, Uzbekistan and Thailand in the group stage of the men’s hockey event in Japan.

Pakistan have been placed in Pool B for the men’s hockey competition at the 20th Asian Games after the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) officially announced the tournament draw and match schedule on Thursday.

The prestigious continental event will take place in Japan from September 19 to October 4, featuring 12 teams competing for the coveted gold medal.

According to the draw, Pakistan will compete alongside Malaysia, China, Oman, Uzbekistan and Thailand in Pool B. Meanwhile, defending powerhouse India headline Pool A, which also includes hosts Japan, Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

The group-stage lineup promises several competitive encounters as teams battle for a place in the knockout rounds.

Pakistan will begin their Asian Games campaign against Thailand on September 20 before facing Uzbekistan on September 21. The Green Shirts will then meet China on September 24 in their third group-stage fixture.

The national side will conclude the preliminary phase with two crucial matches. Pakistan are scheduled to take on Malaysia on September 26 before wrapping up the league stage against Oman on September 28.

These fixtures are expected to play a decisive role in determining the team’s progress to the knockout stage.

Under the tournament format, every team will play each of the other five teams in its respective pool during the league stage.

The top two teams from Pool A and Pool B will qualify for the semi-finals, which are scheduled to be held on October 1. Teams finishing outside the top two will compete in classification matches to determine their final rankings.

The winners of the semi-finals will advance to the gold medal match, set to be played on October 3, while the remaining medal positions will also be decided on the same day.

Pakistan’s appearance at the Asian Games will follow shortly after their long-awaited return to the FIH Hockey World Cup, marking the end of a prolonged absence from the global tournament. The World Cup will be jointly hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium from August 15 to 30.

The Green Shirts will open their World Cup campaign against England on August 15, followed by a clash with Wales on August 17.

Pakistan will then face arch-rivals India in their final group-stage match on August 19, making it one of the most anticipated fixtures of the tournament before the team shifts its focus to the Asian Games.