FAISALABAD, Oct 26: Two players of the PTCL sustained serious injuries when Pakistan Army team attacked on them in a row cropped up due to misbehaviour and rash attitude of the manager of Army team in the final of All-Pakistan Zafar Mahmood Gold Cup Hockey Tournament here on Friday night.

A controversy started when Army team manager Mukarram Khan objected to the decision of match referee who awarded a penalty-stroke to the PTCL. He called back his team from the ground and started abusing and manhandling the organizers and players of the PTCL team. He also threatened the match referee with dire consequences when he refused to withdraw the decision.

Mukarram reportedly provoked his players who attacked the PTCL team with hockey sticks as a result of which two players sustained serious head injuries. After about an hour’s vandalism by the Army players, officials awarded the match to the PTCL 2-1.

Meanwhile, the tournament organizers, match referee and players of various teams demanded the Pakistan Hockey Federation and the Army high-ups to take stern action against the manager.