Clean pleasing Indian Pakistan final ever
It was a final. Defending champions Pakistan was up against odds: facing traditional foe in the crown match, with much less international exposure and far low ranking than their rival in the world order. Some Indian players somehow stoked up the environ with meaningless and thoughtless indulgence in the run up: ‘We will win the Asian Champions Trophy in reply to our Uri martyrs kind of stuff’.
The emotional outbreak that the Pakistan players showed after defeating Malaysia in the final was a bit of tasteless. But it showed the Pak team is upbeat, unforgiving and won’t let the chance to show the world that they are no mere push overs especially to India.
Therefore the Sunday clash between the former giants at Wisma Belia was expected to be emotional, replete with physical incidents, face off for each infringement, actual or contrived, the ingradient that go with any India-Pak clash.
Whatever the coaches claim in public and say to the wards in the dressing room, things boil down to war like pass among the players of both team.
They claim its yet another match, we are a professional players etc.
However, no negatives that go with India – Pak encounters were seen on Sunday.
It was cleanest ever India – Pak match.
One near similarity is Rockingham one where the teams played a quiet test match, after ‘bloodshed’ in Busselton in Western Australia, where in all seven players and staff were punished with varying degrees including four match suspension for London Olympics bound Gurwinder Singh Chandi.
But Rockingham was a test match, academic, no serious thing was at stake.
Kuantan in this respect is quite opposite: Pak made a dramatic final entry, defending champions, their Federation President and Secretary were there to add to pressure.
At one point of time Pak was trailing by two goals. No panic reaction from them, no physical play at all. Similarly, levelled Indian team too quietly carried on its pace in search of another goal that can give them the title.
There were claims and counter claims on umpire’s decision. An India goal after the umpire whistled has been cancelled after Pak’s successful referral. And then Pak got a penalty corner cancelled for India from another umpire, now Grime Murray.
The referrals created a buzz on the stands, but where it counts – on the field- the players took it in their stride.
Game structure did not collapse, individual game did not come into play, pushing, shoeing, elbowing, and anything that can ignite violent reactions were not there to see. It was there even in junior meets such as in the 2011 Sultan of Johor Cup, Junior Asia Cup in Hyderabad, Busselton and alike.
So much so that Indians did not even take customary victory lap with tricolour!
The victors just quietly raised their hands, celebrated among themselves, and quickly went to the losing side to shake hands.
Pak coach Mohd Junaid said that in his long career in which he has witnessed more than 100 Ind-Pak contests closely, this was the clean one and pro at that.
His Indian counterpart Roelant Oltmans too expressed similar views. Even Indian players did not go overboard to connect it to any transborder transpiration!
Have India Pak contests come of age?
Is it good for continental hockey?
Or is that the wisdom dawned that when they fight each other bitterly and while every European, Pan American and Oceania outfit cut them into smithereens.
Today it looks so. I cannot guarantee for tomorrow.
I compliment India and Pakistan coaching staff for injecting professional mindset in players rather allowing freeflow of manufactured emotion.
There is also a realization in Pak think tank that India at present is a better side, let us accept the truth, and giving a good fight in itself is a sign of progress.
If so it augurs well for Asian hockey. Pak team will soon bounce back, leaving its historical package for better.