Pakistan hockey team thrashed hosts Oman 8-1 in their third match of the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2018 at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat on Monday.

Pakistan's Aleem Bilal scored a hat-trick in the initial three quarters to become only the second player to score a treble in a match during the ongoing tournament while Muhammad Irfan, Irfan Junior, Ammad Butt, Aby Mahmood and Muhammad Atiq all chipped in with a goal each to give Pakistan their second victory.

Pakistan now has six points from three games and have a strong chance of making it into the semi-final of the tournament.

The green shirts can only be denied a place in the knock-out semi-finals if they falter to big losses in the remaining fixtures against Japan and Malaysia.

Earlier, Pakistan defeated South Korea 3-1 in their opening match of the tournament while they lost to sub-continent rivals India 3-1.

Pakistan next faces Japan on October 24 and Malaysia on October 25.