Pakistan defeated Japan in the bronze medal match of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup to win its first medal in the competition after 11 years in Ipoh, Malaysia.
Rooman scored a brace as Pakistan earned a come-from-behind 5-3 win over Japan.
Kentaro Fukuda put his side ahead in the 10th minute before Abdul Shahid restored parity just a minute later.
Pakistan then scored two unanswered goals in the second quarter through Arbaz Ahmed and Rooman’s first in the 27th minute to get into the driving seat before a more competitive second half followed.
Yuma Nagai reduced the deficit immediately after the restart before Rooman got his second four minutes later.
Nagai got Pakistan another scare in the fourth quarter with his second of the day to reduce the deficit to 4-3 before Rana Abdul Waheed ensured the win for the Green shirts with their fifth goal of the night.
Pakistan getting a bronze in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup is no less than a miracle after the Pakistan Hockey Federation was forced to field an inexperienced team in the competition following disagreements with its star players.
Pakistan is a three-time winner of the competition having last won it in 2003 while having finished second-best six times.
The final will be played on Thursday (today) between the hosts Malaysia and South Korea.
