Pity for Roshan Minz

Sports is strange. When it gives winners a broad smile, it pains the losers. But the loser need not be the weaker of the two. The best team sometimes loses, and even more the best player often ends up with personal agony.

This description aptly fits Jharkhand team especially its star performer Roshan Minz.

The forward caught the eyes in the second semifinal held at the Aisbagh stadium, Bhopal. The current Indian star, now playing for Jharkhand, was in his elements. His all around abilities spun a web around the struggling Haryana. He was prominent setting up moves for the team, often waging fruitful solo efforts that unsettled the strong defence of Haryana what with Olympians Sandeep Singh and Harpal Singh fortifying it.

After witnessing number of the moves set up by him go abegging due to wayward players upfront, he himself came to the rescue and posted one in the second half to equalize Haryana’s early second half goal.

Before that in the first half, Roshan played intelligent role in his team getting four penalty corners which the team blew up with strange strike sequences which had neither plan nor sharp in moves.

However the match went on without result even in the extra time. Both sides then converted five each of their stroke quota to continue the standstill.

Roshan converted his part bemusing rival goalie Jasbir Singh in the tie-break.

Then came the sudden death, where after a stroke conversion, Roshan’s turn came. The same player who stole the heart of the sparse but appreciating crowd, failed.

This is how sports takes its course, often giving pains to most of undeserving players. On Saturday, it was Roshan Minz’s.

The Jharkhand’s tragedy of losing to below-bar Haryana will etch as the memorable part of the Bhopal Nationals.

And, undoubtedly one pity for Roshan Minz.