In an electrifying contest, Pakistan started strong, earning a penalty corner in just the fifth minute. Awan Abdullah made no mistake, converting it to give Pakistan an early lead. They doubled the advantage with another penalty corner before half-time, heading into the break with a 2-0 cushion.
Malaysia, however, mounted a spirited comeback. They pulled one back shortly after the restart and went on to score two more goals in quick succession, taking the lead for the first time in the match.
Pakistan clawed their way back into the contest with a determined performance. Shahbaz Hassan scored his second of the evening, bringing the scores level at 3-3.
With the game tied, the match moved into a penalty shootout. Pakistan held their nerve, with Ghulam Mustafa emerging as the hero. The young goalkeeper made two crucial saves to seal a 4-3 victory. Earlier, Japan beat Bangladesh 6-4 in the second semi-final to book their spot in the title clash.
Pakistan’s road to the final has been marked by dominant performances. They began their campaign with a resounding 8-0 victory over Hong Kong, followed by a 9-0 rout of Sri Lanka. A 6-3 win over Bangladesh and a narrow 2-1 triumph against hosts China rounded off their flawless group stage.