Abduallah Ishtiaq from Vehari in South Punjab is the goalkeeper of Pakistan’s national hockey team. The only son of a small street vendor, Abdullah was expected to excel in his studies and pursue a career as a high-ranking officer to change his family’s fortune, but his heart was set on hockey. Lacking the necessary support, his dream of becoming a hockey player seemed distant, until one of his mentors stepped, who recognised his immense talent in the sport and provided him with a hockey stick to kickstart his career with a local club.
One day, his team’s goalkeeper didn’t show up during an important match. His coach, noticing Abdullah’s strong build, asked him to fill in for him. Abdullah became an impenetrable wall for the opposing team and from that moment, his future as a goalkeeper was set. He continued in the position, eventually earning a spot in the national hockey team. He is part of the team, proving to be a strong title contender at the ongoing Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2024 in Moqi, China.
Abdullah works hard to deliver on his parents’ aspirations and provide them with the comforts they hoped he would achieve as a high-ranking officer.
He aims to achieve greatness in hockey at par with his idols, Shehbaz Ahmed Senior, and Ahmed Alam to make his parents and the country proud. His dedication paid off when he stopped a decisive penalty stroke against Malaysia in the Olympic qualifying round in Oman.
Abdullah believes that hockey should receive the same level of support and recognition as cricket. “Other brands should follow PTCL Group’s example and support national hockey,” he said.
He advises young athletes to have unwavering faith in divine grace and to focus on hard work, which he believes are the ultimate keys to success.
