Pakistan’s First-Ever Women’s Hockey Team Makes Historic Bronze Finish at LATAM Cup

Team Pakistan celebrates their bronze medal win at the 2025 Amerigol Latam Cup at the Florida Panthers IceDen in Coral Springs, Fla., marking the debut of Pakistan’s first-ever women’s national ice hockey team.

When Pakistan’s first ever women’s national hockey team stepped onto the ice in Coral Springs, Fla., for their Amerigol LATAM Cup debut, few outside their locker room knew what to expect. By the end of the week, the underdog squad — most just meeting and playing together for the first time — had made history, seizing the Division II bronze medal and turning heads across the tournament.

Fielding only 12 skaters, Team Pakistan fought through a grueling schedule with grit and heart. The roster was a mix of first-time teammates and lifelong bonds: twins Serena and Jenna Gilani, and three sisters — Summer (age 21), Sireen (17), and Seleena Hashmi (13) — who balanced nerves with pure excitement. Despite the short bench, their energy never flagged.

Team Pakistan and Team First Nations come together for a post-game panel in the Florida Panthers’ locker room, discussing identity, representation, and the shared challenges of women in hockey.

Pakistan’s offense was driven by a strong core of playmakers, with Aasiya Malik leading the tournament in points across both women’s divisions. Malik and Maaria Shaikh became a dynamic scoring duo, while J. Gilani’s steady two-way play provided crucial balance that kept Pakistan competitive in every matchup.

One of the most memorable moments came against the First Nations team, itself making a debut. Before the puck dropped, retired professional Reagan Rust joined Pakistan’s Shaikh for a ceremonial toss — an emblem of shared milestones for underrepresented hockey communities. After the game, both teams gathered in the Florida Panthers’ locker room for a heartfelt panel discussion on identity, cultural representation, and the challenges faced by women of color in hockey. Those conversations underscored the tournament’s deeper significance beyond the scoreboard.

The bronze medal clincher capped a week that proved Pakistan’s women belong on this stage. But for the players, it’s only the beginning. With more skaters expected to join, the team plans to return to competition at the Dream Nations Cup in New Jersey this May — ready to build on their breakout performance and show the hockey world their debut was no fluke.

For young girls in Pakistan and the diaspora watching from afar, the team’s triumph sends a powerful message: the game is theirs to claim. As Malik put it after the win, “We really showed that Pakistani women are here to play.”