By Armstrong Vas
Doha: A sell-out crowd of over 2,000 spectators who had come in anticipation for a classic India-Pakistan thriller got their money’s worth in a nine-goal match at Al Rayyan Stadium yesterday.
In the tussle for supremacy between the two Asian powerhouses of hockey, Pakistan defeated defending champions India, to win the Asian champions trophy for the first time.
India won the last edition of the tournament held in China by defeating Pakistan and also won the league match against their neighbours 2-1 on Monday, but in the final the Green Shirts reigned supreme.
The crowd loved it all throughout the seventy minute duration. Fans of both teams had their moments of joy, ecstasy and despair. There was climax and anti-climax. Fortunes also fluctuated in the match with Pakistan taking the lead but India going into the half time break with a 2-1 lead.
With tickets for the final been sold three days in advance some fans who were not so fortunate to lay their hands on the tickets restored to innovative ways to see the action.
Fans who had no match tickets watched the action from the staircases leading to the main stands of the nearby Al Rayyan Stadium. Most of them owed allegiance to Pakistan and some of them were children and ladies.
The staircases of Al Rayyan Stadium are some 300 metres away from the hockey stadium, but that did not deter the fans. Distance did not matter for them, neither was the fact that they could have a clear view from afar.
Backed by a strong contingent of fans who chanted Pakistan Jeetega Jeetega (Pakistan will win win) the supporters of the Green Shirts outnumbered the Indians.
Fans of both came armed with flags of different dimensions and made their presence felt in their respective stands whenever a goal was scored.
The music played before the match and during the half time break added more flavour to the final. The organisers made sure they played music from both countries.
Title song from Chade de India film, a Shah Rukh Khan starrer, based on the life of Kabir Khan, the former captain of the Indian hockey team was played at the venue and also was a Pakistan song, all which set the mood among the fans.
And there was not a pleasant ending for the Indian fans. The controversy-ridden final was robbed of some glitter at towards the fag end of the entertaining dual.
Korean umpire Yun Shin Dong played spoil sport in the eyes of the Indian fans.
His decision to first award a penalty stroke to India and then reverse the decision after consulting the third umpire in the end turned up to be a hotly debated issue among the fans.
In the end the game of hockey was the winner. It was a dream final, befitting a week-long celebration of hockey in Qatar.
The Peninsula
