Hockey: Brawl mars Pak-Ind draw
Hockey match ends 3-3 with Rasool, Imran injured.
KARACHI:
A brawl marred the drawn tri-series match between arch-rivals Pakistan and India which left Shafqat Rasool with an injured knee.
The match ended 3-3 where Pakistan fought back superbly after trailing by three goals at the interval. Sohail Abbas scored twice in the 46th and 64th minute while captain Shakeel Abbasi scored the equaliser a minute later to secure the draw.
The brawl took place when the Indian players attacked Pakistani players three minutes from time, leaving Rasool injured, according to team manager Khwaja Junaid.
“It’s been happening for the past 50 years,” Junaid told The Express Tribune. “We understand that both teams were emotionally charged and since Pakistan equalised late in the match, Indian midfielder Gurbaj Singh lost his cool and hit Rasool with the ball.
“I’m proud of my players for not retaliating and, instead, going to the umpire to lodge their protest. It was just a very high energy match.”
Junaid added that the team decided to end the match a minute from time since former captain Mohammad Imran also got hurt. He confirmed that the players were not seriously injured but Rasool did need some physiotherapy after the incident.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 29th, 2011.
A brawl marred the drawn tri-series match between arch-rivals Pakistan and India which left Shafqat Rasool with an injured knee.
The match ended 3-3 where Pakistan fought back superbly after trailing by three goals at the interval. Sohail Abbas scored twice in the 46th and 64th minute while captain Shakeel Abbasi scored the equaliser a minute later to secure the draw.
The brawl took place when the Indian players attacked Pakistani players three minutes from time, leaving Rasool injured, according to team manager Khwaja Junaid.
“It’s been happening for the past 50 years,” Junaid told The Express Tribune. “We understand that both teams were emotionally charged and since Pakistan equalised late in the match, Indian midfielder Gurbaj Singh lost his cool and hit Rasool with the ball.
“I’m proud of my players for not retaliating and, instead, going to the umpire to lodge their protest. It was just a very high energy match.”
Junaid added that the team decided to end the match a minute from time since former captain Mohammad Imran also got hurt. He confirmed that the players were not seriously injured but Rasool did need some physiotherapy after the incident.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 29th, 2011.