Pakistan sport, still reeling under the unprecedented action against its top cricketers, was hit by another bombshell on Thursday. The Pakistan hockey team retired en masse following their last-place finish in the ongoing World Cup on Thursday. The announcement came soon after Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) had reacted to the side’s pathetic performance by sacking the entire team management and the selection panel.

Pakistan were desperate to win their match against Canada to avoid the wooden spoon, but they failed to deliver. By the time the game ended in a 3-2 loss through a golden goal, the pain of finishing last was writ large on the players’ faces. That the 18-member team was expecting some sanctions for its shoddy show was clear, but PHF’s quick and stiff action took everyone by surprise.

The players held a meeting after returning to the hotel and decided to retire. Some of these players are teenagers or in their early twenties.

‘‘We apologize to the nation. We have let everybody down. We don’t feel like continuing any more in the national team,’’ a player said after the loss. This was the four-time champions’ most abysmal performance in a World Cup - the previous worst was an 11th place finish in 1986, where India had finished last.

There was speculation that the players might have taken the extreme step to save themselves from a public backlash on returning home. There is also talk that the players wanted to show solidarity with the coaching staff.

Captain Zeeshan Ashraf said the team decided to retire as they could not meet expectations. ‘‘We will support PHF in the future in any aspect of the game and will also be available if Pakistan needs any player any time,’’ Ashraf said in a statement.

Team coach Shahid Ali Khan was a distraught man. ‘‘This is the right thing to do. We don’t deserve to continue in this position after what happened in this World Cup. The players have also sent their retirement letters to PHF,’’