Pakistan claims hockey gold

S. Sabanayakan

SHODDY DISPLAY: India’s Varinderjeet Singh and Roshan Minz try to stop Waqas Akbar of Pakistan.
DHAKA: India put up a shoddy display to lose to Pakistan 5-4 in tie-breaker after 1-1 stalemate at the regulation and extra time in the final of the 11th South Asian Games hockey competition at the Moulana Bhasani Stadium here on Sunday.

Having beaten the same opponent 5-1 in the league stage and remaining unbeaten throughout, the loss was incomprehensible especially after dominating the game so well in the first half.

India expectedly got the only goal in this session as early as the sixth minute. Indian captain Ajitesh Roy sounded the board following a penalty corner. The Indians looked invincible after such a superb show in the earlier half.

The complexion of the game changed in the later half. Pakistan managed to break India’s free flowing rhythm. Pakistan came out of the shell, asserted itself in the midfield and began to pressurise the Indian defence where V. Raghunath and Birendra Lakra stood solid.

Some good work in the defence did keep Pakistan from scoring but not for long as Indian sallies became few and far between.

India’s left flank completely collapsed and Dharamveer Singh on the right looked totally off-colour. Amit Kumar Prabhakar, Vikash Pillay and Mohammad Aamir Khan, playing on the left flank, failed to use the openings which suited the Pakistan’s deep defence.

Pakistan skipper Sabtain Raza marshalled his resources with aplomb. With Zubair Ahmed and Kashif Javid supporting him in taking forward the incisive raids, the equaliser came in the 10th minute of the second half. Big built Wasif Siddique found the corner from Pakistan’s first penalty corner.

Immediately after, India got the best opportunity of the match through combined play by Amit Kumar, Varinderjeet Singh and Roshan Minz. However, Minz hit wide.

Before the teams went into the tie-breaker, Pakistan forced two penalty corners but on both occasions, goaltender Mrinal Chaubay came to India’s rescue by palming away the attempts.

In the tie-breaker, Raghunath, Innocent Lakra and Pillay scored while Varinderjeet and Dharamveer attempts were saved. For Pakistan Siddique, Javid, Tasawar Abbas and Sabtain Raza were successful. Zeeshan Ali’s push hit the bar

Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka 2-1 after recovering from first half deficit.