IT was after a long time that there were three Asian countries in the line-up for the six-nation Champions Trophy, and what a difference it made in not just the quality of the game, but also the final standing of the teams. Ironically, South Korea was the team that had been the Asian flag-bearer in international tournaments for the last few years, but at the Champions Trophy it had to take the wooden spoon, and is now out of the next edition of the prestigious tournament. Pakistan and India ended up ahead of the Australians, who themselves were in serious danger of getting pushed out of the tournament until they beat the South Koreans in their final game.
While Holland and Germany played out the final, there can be little doubt that the two encounters between Pakistan and India - one in the league round and the other for the bronze medal - were a treat for hockey-lovers around the world. I will not call it Asian hockey at its best because the two nations have played much better hockey in the past many decades, but it was still good enough to show the world what the game of hockey is all about. The encounters produced flowing and attacking hockey marked by deft stick work, body dodges and intelligent passes.
It might be a little deviation in the text here, but I just hope that Pakistan Television will continue to show live games in the future so that we may have a chance of watching and enjoying first-hand such a feast of hockey. Such telecasts can do more to attract young kids towards the game than any scheme launched by the PHF. It may sound strange, but it is true.
Back on the field, it was disappointing that Sohail Abbas failed to convert so many penalty corners. Nobody would mind if the goalkeepers or the defenders would block his flicks, for after all they are there for that very purpose. But you cannot absolve Sohail of the responsibility when he is himself to blame for the misses by pushing the ball dead in the centre of the goal where it automatically hits the goalkeeper.
In contrast, Mohammad Wasim deserves a pat on the back for playing intelligent hockey throughout the tournament, and keeping the left flank alive. A word here won’t be out of place for Rehan Butt, who scored those two amazing goals in the last match that gave Pakistan the bronze medal. He is young, and may not yet be the best in the game, but he seems to have a natural goal-scoring instinct. He was taken to the tour of Spain where he was among the scorers, and was retained for the Commonwealth Games even though he was not in the original list. And then proved his worth in the Champions Trophy whenever he was given a chance. He needs to be preserved and groomed technically, but in such a manner that should not kill his natural instincts.
Though Pakistan took the third position, which is no mean feat in the Champions Trophy, it must be kept in mind that we have a side whose average age per player is much higher than most teams in the competition. Most of the teams are in the rebuilding process, keeping the 2004 Olympics as the broader target. Pakistan must find some young legs, and must do it sooner rather than later if it hopes to make its presence felt in Athens.
IT was after a long time that there were three Asian countries in the line-up for the six-nation Champions Trophy, and what a difference it made in not just the quality of the game, but also the final standing of the teams. Ironically, South Korea was the team that had been the Asian flag-bearer in international tournaments for the last few years, but at the Champions Trophy it had to take the wooden spoon, and is now out of the next edition of the prestigious tournament. Pakistan and India ended up ahead of the Australians, who themselves were in serious danger of getting pushed out of the tournament until they beat the South Koreans in their final game.
