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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s hockey team suffered a disappointing defeat against India in the group stage of the Asian Five-a-Side Hockey Tournament after a serious mistake by the team management resulted in a breach of tournament rules. During the match, Pakistan mistakenly fielded six players instead of the permitted five. In Five-a-Side Hockey, each team is allowed to have only five players on the field at any given time. The error was spotted by match officials, who immediately informed the umpires. After the violation was identified, the umpires ordered two Pakistani players to leave the field. The decision left Pakistan with only three players on the pitch for a short period as a penalty for the rules breach. India took full advantage of Pakistan’s numerical disadvantage. Playing with fewer players made it difficult for Pakistan to defend and maintain possession, allowing India to dominate the game during that phase. The Indian team eventually secured victory in the group-stage encounter. The defeat has been linked to the management’s mistake rather than the players’ performance on the field. The incident has raised concerns over the handling of team operations and compliance with tournament regulations during an important international competition. Five-a-Side Hockey follows strict rules regarding the number of players on the field. Any violation can result in immediate penalties that may significantly affect the outcome of a match. Officials acted quickly after noticing the extra player, ensuring that tournament regulations were enforced. Despite the setback, both Pakistan and India have qualified for the final of the Asian Five-a-Side Hockey Tournament. The two rivals are set to meet once again in the title clash later today. The final will give Pakistan an opportunity to recover from the earlier defeat and compete for the championship. The team will also aim to avoid the costly mistakes that affected its performance in the group-stage match. Hockey fans will be hoping for a disciplined display as Pakistan looks to avenge its earlier loss and challenge India for the tournament trophy.

LEEDS: Pakistan’s stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha has admitted that England exposed weaknesses across the board after Pakistan suffered a heavy defeat in the opening Test, while expressing hope that Babar Azam will return for the next match. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Salman acknowledged that Pakistan were outplayed by England and failed to maintain the consistency required at international level. “England outclassed us in every department,” Salman said, adding that the team repeatedly failed to execute its plans when it mattered most. The defeat has raised fresh questions about Pakistan’s preparations for the challenging England conditions. Salman said the team had arrived only about a week before the start of the series, leaving limited time for players to adjust to the unfamiliar conditions. “We always face tough challenges in England,” he said, stressing that adapting to local conditions requires time and experience. Pakistan’s problems were particularly visible with the bat. After being dismissed for 171 in their first innings, the visitors managed only 135 in the second, allowing England to complete a comprehensive innings victory. Salman also admitted that several senior players are struggling for form. He pointed to his own performance, as well as those of Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel, saying the lack of runs from key batters has become a major concern for the side. The captain nevertheless insisted that Pakistan have enough talent to improve. “We are going through a difficult rebuilding phase,” Salman said, describing the current team as a side being prepared with an eye on the future. He acknowledged that Pakistan’s bowling attack is relatively young and inexperienced but argued that the experience gained during difficult overseas tours could prove valuable in the long term. The captain’s comments come as Pakistan attempt to recover from a disappointing start to their three-Test series against England. The visitors will need a significant improvement in both batting and execution if they are to challenge the hosts in the remaining matches. One potential boost could come from the return of Babar Azam. Salman expressed hope that the former Pakistan captain would be fully fit and available for the next Test. Babar’s return could provide Pakistan with much-needed experience and stability in the batting order at a crucial stage of the series. Pakistan’s recent struggles have highlighted the difficulty of competing overseas, particularly when a team is undergoing transition. For Salman, however, the priority is clear: Pakistan must learn quickly and raise their standards. The stand-in captain stressed that the current level of performance is not acceptable and urged the team to improve its execution in foreign conditions. With two Tests still remaining, Pakistan have an opportunity to respond on the field. But after a one-sided opening defeat, the pressure will be firmly on the visitors to show that their rebuilding project can deliver results as well as promise.

ROME: Gennaro Gattuso’s highly anticipated start as Lazio coach turned into a nightmare on Sunday as the Serie A side suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat to second-tier Mantova and crashed out of the Italian Cup. Gattuso, 48, took charge of Lazio in July, hoping to revive a club that came agonisingly close to lifting the trophy last season. Instead, his first competitive match ended with an early elimination and raised immediate questions about the team’s readiness for the new campaign. Mantova, who play outside Italy’s top flight, stunned the home crowd with a disciplined performance and took full advantage of Lazio’s struggles. The result made Lazio the only one of the 12 Serie A clubs entering the last 64 to be eliminated at this stage. The defeat is particularly painful given Lazio’s recent Italian Cup history. The seven-time winners reached last season’s final but lost to Inter Milan in May, narrowly missing the chance to add another trophy to their collection. For Gattuso, the setback is another difficult chapter in a coaching career that has yet to match the success he enjoyed as a player. A World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, Gattuso spent 13 successful years at AC Milan between 1999 and 2012. During that period, he won two Serie A titles and two Champions League trophies and established himself as one of Europe’s most respected midfielders. His managerial career has included spells with Fiorentina, Valencia, Napoli and Marseille, but major silverware has remained elusive. Gattuso’s appointment at Lazio came just four months after he left his position as Italy coach following the national team’s failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup. The Italian will now have little time to dwell on Sunday’s disappointment, with Lazio’s focus turning to the Serie A campaign. For a coach seeking a fresh start, however, the defeat to Mantova was hardly the opening Gattuso had imagined.