New low in hockey

Pakistan has been sent packing from the Asian Champions Trophy Hockey being played in the Indian city of Chennei. Pakistan — deprived of a place among the final four — were blanked by archrival India on Wednesday. Even a defeat by a one-goal margin would have taken them to the semifinal stage, but Greenshirts conceded no less than four goals without once sending the ball into the rivals’ net. Of the four round matches Pakistan have so far played in the competition, they could only defeat China.

Their matches against Malaysia and Japan ended in a draw, while the one against India — as mentioned — turned out to be a humiliating defeat. The defeat marks a new low in Pakistan hockey: once among the world-beaters, Pakistan hockey team is now struggling to make it to the final four of an Asian contest, even making heavy weather of minnows like China, Japan, Thailand and Nepal. In the ongoing tournament too, a much junior Japan has edged past Pakistan to fix a semifinal date with India. In the other semifinal, meanwhile, Malaysia will take on Korea. That tells the sorry saga of an incessant fall of Pakistan hockey.

There were times when a small town near Faisalabad, named Gojra, would produce world class players, but now depleting interest in hockey has ruined the nurseries of what is regarded as our national sport. Even Legends like Islahuddin, Shehnaz Sheikh, Hanif Khan, Samiullah, Manzoor Junior, Hassan Sardar and Shahbaz Senior — who have been assigned management and coaching duties as part of efforts to revive the hockey glory — have failed to produce results.

The situation thus warrants an entirely different approach — maybe one involving professional coaching and training staff, preferably foreigners, aware of the modern methodologies and demands of the game. Also, there is need to bolster government funding, rope in sponsors on the pattern of PSL and take steps to popularise the game at grassroots level through media campaigning.