Pakistan hockey seems to be headed in right direction to reclaim lost glory
Pakistan’s national sport hockey seems to be on the right track once again towards its glorious reign as a national hockey team finished at the second spot in 2011 Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Cup which was recently held in Malaysia in the month of May.
During the past three years the performance of national hockey team was not upto the mark as it finished on the eighth position in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and remained in the last spot in 2010 World Cup, held in New Delhi India. Having tasted those bitter
days, what is left for the team is growing and rising from the ashes.
In the Asian Games and in the Azlan Shah Cup the national team displayed a passionate style finishing with gold medal in the first and as runner-up in the second event, respectively.
Despite of having several problems, the national hockey team played well in the recently held Azlan Shah Cup Tournament. First of all the national hockey team had a lack of international level practice, as it did not participate in any featured event since
Asian Games, which were held last year in China and it was going to Sultan Azlan Shah tournament after a long break of almost six months. Secondly Pakistan hockey team’s Dutch coach, Michel van den Heuvel had decided to leave Pakistan due to the uneasiness
of his family over the security conditions in Pakistan. Finally the decision of Zeeshan Ashraf, Pakistan hockey team captain in Asian Games, to participate only in the important events and thus he is not willing to provide his services in the Azlan Shah Cup.
Besides these reasons a lot of senior hockey players were facing the problems due to their agreement with the controversial World Series of Hockey (WSH).
The national team started its Azlan Shah Cup campaign in a fine fashion by beating New Zealand and South Korea 4-2 in spectacular fights, but in the next two games against Great Britain and Australia, the green shirts failed to show their impact once again.
They lost to Great Britain 2-3 and to Australia by one goal to five. Having incorporated with two defeats the national team’s chances to reach into the final seemed to be faded out, but the team made a strong comeback and exhibited its abilities to overcome
the barriers and challenges. In the next match Green Shirts stunned everyone when they defeated their traditional opponents India by 3-1 and kept their chances alive for the final.
The national team had been losing to India since last year, but this time the Green Shirts were successful in changing their fate. While in the last match the national team defeated Malaysia by three goals to two and confirmed its place in the final.
In the final, once again, it was the five-time champion Australia who already had defeated Pakistan in the round match by 5-1 and up there for the sixth trophy. Both of the teams battled well, Kangaroos fought every step of the way while Green Shirts looked
far better from their previous performance, but the match ended at 2-2 level and extended to extra time. In the extra time both teams made a number of field attempts but eventually it was Australia who scored the golden goal in 83rd minute of the
match and lifted Azlan Shah Cup for the sixth time. Prior to this Australian side remained victorious in 1983, 1996, 2004, 2005 and 2007. Pakistan has won the competition in 1998, 2000 and 2003 while finished the second in 1983, 1987, 1991, 1994 and 2004 whereas
we lost to Australia in 1983 and 2004.
However, this time it seemed very different as Pakistan Hockey lost in a nail-biting fight while they almost have beaten them and it proved that winning gold medal in last year’s Asian Games was not surprising.
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