Pakistan faced a heavy 1-4 defeat against England in their opening Pool D match at the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2026 in Amstelveen.
Beyond the scoreline, the team also endured embarrassment when captain Abu Bakar Mahmood was officially warned by the referee due to a strange mistake during the game, which shocked former captain Salman Akbar.
The Green Card Incident
The mix-up occurred in the 17th minute, shortly after England had taken a 1-0 lead, when Pakistan found themselves scrambling for their penalty-corner protective gear.
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According to a social media post by Akbar, the team had left the equipment behind in the changing room, with a player even seen sprinting back to the dressing room to retrieve it.
The resulting delay ended with captain Abu Bakar being shown a green card and having to spend two minutes on the sidelines as a consequence.
The former Pakistan captain didn't hold back in his reaction, stunned by what he saw as a lack of discipline and organisation at a tournament of the World Cup's stature, calling it "another unwanted record" for the team.
Taking to X, he wrote: “Wow. Another unwanted record from Pakistan hockey. In the opening match of the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 against England, Pakistan reportedly forgot the penalty corner protective gear in the changing room. As a result, the captain received the green card.
“Forgetting essential protective equipment for penalty corners simply cannot happen on the biggest stage of international hockey. Preparation is not just about tactics, fitness and skills. It is also about discipline and organisation.
“The World Cup demands the highest level of professionalism. Unfortunately, moments like this raise serious questions about how prepared we really are for the big stage.”
India Begin Campaign With A Win
India, who are also part of Pool D, got their campaign off to a winning start, beating lower-ranked Wales 3-1. Captain Harmanpreet Singh converted two penalty corners, while Sanjay also got on the scoresheet with a goal from a set piece.
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India will face England next, in what is expected to be a significantly tougher test. The two sides had a closely contested outing during the London leg of the Pro League in the build-up to the World Cup, with England finishing runners-up behind Belgium, while India ended up eighth among the nine competing teams.
With both India and England in contention for the top two spots in Pool D, the outcome of their upcoming clash could carry major implications for their respective paths to the knockout stages.
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