BANGKOK: Pakistan, the Olympic champions, regained the Asian Games hockey title by defeating India, the defending champion, in the final of the Sixth Asian Games Hockey Tournament before 6,000 spectators at the Charusthira Football Ground here today [Dec 19].

Centre-forward Rashid, the top scorer of the tournament, gave Pakistan the winning goal when he scored in the 28th minute of extra-time after the two teams had played to a goalless draw after 70-minute of the scheduled time. …

It was a sweet revenge for the Olympic champion Pakistan, who were runners-up in hockey to the Indians here in 1966. … The exhausted Ind­ians had played a terrific match and in tradition with the Olympic and Asian Games hockey finals the match and the title was won by lone goal.

The ... cheering Pakistani spectators swarmed into the field ... and their chanting echoed thro­ugh the stadium as dusk fell and the floodlights had to be turned on for the medals presentation.

It was one of the cleanest, fastest ... matches in ten years of Olympic and Asian Games hockey with the “two giants” giving a brilliant demonstration … with the strength and stamina of youth battling against the skill and experience of veterans… . — Agency

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2020