Which is the best Asia Cup?

Is it the inaugural edition when Pakistan won the hearts of home crowd, defeating then Olympic champions India? Maiden gold is always memorable and the Karachi Gold cannot go beyond this, and will remain memorable in the annals of Pakistan.

The Dhaka number in 1985 was good, but it is known for the Indian vandalism — that resulted in the umpire being taken in a stretcher — rather than the Gold that the Pakistanis retained in what was their own part of country (East Pakistan) a decade ago. Bangladesh was carved out of Pakistan in the mid 70s, that is, 22 years after Pakistan itself was made out of India.

Does it then Delhi qualify to be the best? Yes, certainly it’s best for Pakistan, all the more due to the fact that it came against Indian and on Indian soils. But it was not unique as Pakistan won both the Asian Games and World Cup in India in the decade earlier.

Koreans brought down the monopoly of India and Pakistan in a chilling manner when the event for the first time moved out of Indian sub-continent. At Hiroshima in 1993, Korea was the gold winner, Pakistan having been beaten in the semifinal and India in the final. Hiroshima more memorable for Koreans than for the chroniclers, as their men and women walked away with the titles. That was of course the last time both men and women editions were held simultaneously.

Hiroshima almost came close to be the best, but Kuala Lumpur six years later presented another climax, outwitting the Hiroshima feat.

Every match in KL1999 was intense. India was the reigning Asian Games champions. Korea were defending champions. Malaysia was the bronze winner at the Asian Games and therefore a lot was at stake for the Pakistan to improve their sagging morale. It was truly the first time it appeared there are four equal contestants. With four claimants backed with traditionally semifinal reaching Japan, KL1999 was by far the awesome field.

Korea ultimately won the Gold, and see how narrow and competitive and cliffhanger their journey had been.

India met India in the semis, and is not a surprise. What was of course was the match. Korea scored twice within five minutes. Even as the crowd thought the Indians are destined to be destroyed, Dilip Tirkey and captain Baljit Singh Dhillon equalized in the next ten minutes. Then India went up with a Deepak Thakur’s goals, only to be neutralized by Jeon Jong Ha. Then came the turn of Dhanraj Pillay, who was just recalled, did justice to his recall with a goal. But this lead was shortlived as Kim Jung Chul, who played our latest PHL, came with a trump to equalize. Even as the match was heading for the extra time, Sean Hawang Ji converted their fourth penalty corner to reach the finals.

Nine goals in the match, and what a game it was.

Do you know the highlight of the match? India, for a change, converted 3 out of 4 penalty corners. Don’t just rejoice. Korea converted four out of four.

If you feel, this Korean precision won the day, it was not easily so in the final.

The final played on 28th November 1999, turned out to be another thriller, the gold medal decided five minutes before the hooter.

This match again produced nine goals — and the five belonging to the Koreans.

And it was not easily achieved. Pakistan was leading 4-2 after it converted its second and fourth penalty corners in the 25th and 42nd minutes, by Ali Raza and Asif Javed respectively. And then their defence of Sohail Abbas and Ali Raza did a tremendous job of not allowing Koreans to convert penalty corners, the leeway India was generously awarding a day earlier – and paying price for it.

Yeo Woon Kon broke the hoodoo and made use of their 10th penalty corner to bring the score respectable (3-4). Then Kan Keon Wook brought parity with a stroke and then the ever-green centre-forward Song Seong Tae, who is now with the Korean teams as co-trainer, posted a goal to take the Gold. And thus the fighting Pakistan had to be downcast and their wait for Asia Cup Gold had to wait – and the wait still continues.

One semifinal nine goals, and then the same winner posts another five goals to win a three time gold winner. I feel the 1999 number is best Asia Cup held so far. Where Korea learnt one lesson. Winning the Asia Cup is easy but not retaining it.

2003 was a good one, but it was for Indians as they won their maiden Gold. 2007 win was almost a cakewalk for the Indians. The Koreans were demolished 7-2 by the Joaquim Carvalho’s boys. It was a great day for Indian hockey, but not for Asian hockey, as one-sided games have been the Asian hockey’s bane for long.

Therefore, I vote for 1999 number, which Korea will also relish as another gold eludes them even though they played Olympics final a year later.

Let us see what’s in store in Kuantan. Till then time to relish KL 1999.