Pakistan are winless in the tournament after suffering a 6-5 loss to Mexico Lobos on Thursday and an 8-3 defeat to Chile in the men’s Division III on Wednesday.

But the players said they had achieved something beyond wins and losses simply by participating in the LATAM Cup.

“This is not just about us, it’s about our country,” said Umar Khan, a Pakistani-American from New York. “We never thought this would happen. I never thought I would be in a locker room with all Pakistani players and representing our country. I never thought I would see a Pakistani team in my life.”

Umar Khan, a former NHL intern, helped Donny Khan (no relation) find players through word of mouth and scouring social media.

“I looked at Elite Prospects and took anyone who had the last name of him (Donny Khan) and me,” Umar Khan said. “We did what we had to do and somehow made a team.”

Team Pakistan could be called “Team Khan.” Seven of the players have the same surname.

There’s Donny and his 14-year-old son, Colton, the team’s lone goalie; Umar and his brother Siddiq are forwards; Zaakir is a defenseman for the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division I team at George Mason University in Virginia; Tariq, a native of Airdrie, Alberta, who was a forward for Great Falls in the North American 3 Hockey League last season; and Rohail, a forward.

“I got an Instagram message from Rohail,” said Zaakir Khan. “He texted me and asked, ‘Yo, are you Pakistani?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ He said a team was being formed, so he emailed me. I spoke to Donny on the phone and was really excited.

“My father always taught me to live with great passion for my heritage. Just the opportunity to represent the country of my father, my grandfather, who came from Lahore (Pakistan) in the 1940s, and bring it to the game that I love, thrilled me.”

The same goes for striker Saem Iftikhar, a Lahore native whose hockey career now spanned five games, recently started playing club hockey for City College of New York.

“Three games at City College and now I’m representing my country,” he said. “It’s just been incredible. Ever since I started playing hockey, I’ve dreamed of bringing it back to Pakistan. I look around and see players of Pakistani heritage. This is a dream come true. I think this is the first step to a much bigger operation.”

Donny Khan said Pakistan’s LATAM Cup debut will not be a one-off affair; he and the other players are already talking about returning with another men’s and a women’s team.

“We are currently in talks with the Pakistan Winter Sports Federation,” he said. “We have their official approval. We are trying to establish ourselves as a club and part of the Pakistan Sports Federation.”

“The long-term goal is that we inspire the people of Pakistan and eventually have a Pakistani team participating in the Asian Winter Games and one day, God willing, the Winter Olympics.”