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Why not Karachi? A week to remember
The Sachin question Good intentions, bad results
Basketball and Pakistan
Champions Trophy: A brief history
Why not Karachi? Pakistan’s largest city is being constantly overlooked by our sports chiefs. They are doing it at their own peril. By Khalid Hussain He is one of
the leading cricketers in Pakistan. He is looking forward to getting
ready for an important international assignment which gets underway
later this month. He wants to train hard to be in top shape ahead of the
upcoming trip. Unfortunately, he lives in Karachi. “It’s such a pity
that Karachi, despite being the country’s largest city, lacks proper
training facilities,” the player told me, requesting anonymity.
“I’ve been training these days and want to further raise the bar.
But the problem is that for specialised training I have to go to Lahore
because there are no suitable facilities in Karachi,” he laments. It’s actually hard
to imagine that the player is talking about a city of 20 million, one of
the largest in the world. He is talking about a city that was once a hub
of international sports and almost won the rights to host the Asian
Games more than fifty years ago. It was, by far, the
most favourite hunting ground for Pakistani cricketers, who once took
pride in the fact that they could not be conquered in a Test played at
the city’s prestigious National Stadium. Karachi was once
regarded as a major destination in world hockey and hosted leading
international tournaments regularly during the seventies and eighties. It was the Mecca of
the squash world where so many legends of the game from around the world
visited to rub shoulders with their Pakistani counterparts. Karachi’s
magnificent PIA Squash Complex was then regarded as the showpiece
facility of international squash. Unfortunately, I’m
talking about the Karachi of a different time or perhaps of a different
world. Today’s Karachi is a
sad story. The city has been abandoned by the country’s sports
authorities like an orphaned child. For most of them, when it comes to
sports it’s all about either Lahore or Islamabad. Just recently,
Pakistan’s cricket authorities pulled out their showpiece domestic
tournament — the National Twenty20 Cup — from Karachi just a few
days before it was supposed to roll into action here at the National
Stadium. Karachi was selected to host the popular tournament because it
was seen as an ideal venue for a day-night event due to various reasons
including the fact that it enjoys ideal weather conditions during this
time of the year. The reason why Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) opted to
shift the tournament, which began the other day in Lahore, was because
it suddenly decided that Karachi was an unsafe place to host it. At a time when PCB
officials are claiming that they are trying their best to convince the
world that Pakistan is safe for the return of international cricket such
an unwise move hardly augurs well for the game in this country. What happened last
week is just the tip of the iceberg. Pakistan’s cricket authorities
have over the years failed to give Karachi its due share. They’ve
built a state-of-the-art centre of excellence called the National
Cricket Academy in Lahore but Karachi hasn’t been equipped with a
similar facility. Now the PCB chiefs are talking about building a
world-class stadium in Islamabad right from scratch. Why don’t they
first equip existing venues like the National Stadium with much-needed
facilities and then think about building new ones. The sorry plight of
Karachi doesn’t confine to cricket alone. Pakistan’s hockey chiefs
have all but ignored Karachi in recent years as they’ve focused on
centres like Lahore, Islamabad and even Abbottabad for national training
camps and tournaments. There had been some activities in Karachi but
they are few and far between. That’s perhaps the reason why
Karachi’s Hockey Club of Pakistan — once a jewel in the crown of
world hockey — has been reduced to a place that looks like a junkyard
rather than a world-class sports facility which it is supposed to be. The sad story repeats
itself when it comes to squash. The once magnificent PIA Squash Complex
doesn’t exist any more as it was torn down a few years ago. The DHA
Squash Complex which was built in the early nineties and hosted the
memorable World Team Championship in 1993 when Jahangir Khan and Jansher
Khan joined hands for one last time to help Pakistan win a record sixth
world title. It turned out to be Pakistan’s last title-winning triumph
in the event. The facility is still there gathering dust because of a
lack of activity. So why does Karachi
keep getting such harsh treatment from our sports authorities? Its one
question they have to answer. It’s certainly
easier for organisations like PCB, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) or
Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) to hold their tournaments and training
camps in cities like Lahore and Islamabad since their headquarters are
based there. But they will have to come out of their comfort zones and
give Karachi an equal share of sporting action as well as facilities.
After all, it is Pakistan’s biggest city and its commercial hub. It is
the city of legends like Jahangir Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad,
Anwar Ahmed Khan, Islahuddin Siddiqui, Sohail Abbas and so many other
great sportspersons. Karachi’s loss is
nobody’s gain. In fact Karachi’s loss accounts for a greater loss to
Pakistan, if you look at the big picture. You ignore Karachi at your own
peril because if there is one city in Pakistan where you can make things
happen its Karachi. You cannot boost Pakistan sports by keeping this
city out of the equation. Karachi is to Pakistan what London is to
Britain. And it deserves to be treated in a befitting manner. In the meantime,
Karachi would keep hoping that its glorious past would once again be
revived. It would keep thinking of the time when it almost became one of
the chosen few cities to have hosted the prestigious Asian Games. It
came agonisingly close to achieving that honour on a fine May morning in
Tokyo back in 1958 when Asian sports chiefs sat down to pick the host
city for the 1962 Asiad. They voted 22-20 in favour of Jakarta over
Karachi. Khalid Hussain is
Editor Sports of The News, Karachi Khalidhraj@gmail.com caption KARACHI: Fireworks
explode after a Pakistan All-Star XI defeated the visiting International
World XI in an exhibition match here at the National Stadium on October
21, 2012 –The News photo by Naqeebur Rehman
A
week to remember The last week
has perhaps been the most defining week of the year for cricket. The
world’s top four teams have battled each other in an attempt for
cricket supremacy. As far as India and England are concerned, in the
words of Ramiz Raja this was India’s chance to “brown wash”
England albeit much to his dismay. After the drubbing India got in
England this was a revenge series where the Indians would typically pile
up the runs and then go for the kill using their venomous spinners.
However, much to India’s surprise, the Englishmen have learned a trick
or two and to some extent figured out spin on rough subcontinent wickets
owing to the whitewash by Pakistan earlier in the year. Although I may
add, the Indian spin attack would not even compare to the sheer genius
and magic produced by Saeed Ajmal throughout the year, completely
bamboozling players around the globe. Nonetheless, Indian spinners on
home tacks have historically troubled batsmen especially the English who
have always struggled against spin. It is the inclusion of
technology that has helped teams evolve and develop and overcome their
worst fears. One such example is the use of video analysis used by
batsmen to overcome their shortcomings. The barmy army has a combination
of technology and experience which helps them come out on the top. Very
rarely does one see a batsman of Kevin Pietersen’s calibre relying or
rather asking Mushtaq Ahmed (the spin coach) for advice on his batting,
but it this large hearted approach which makes them the unit they are
today. It’s no hidden fact that Pietersen has had a wretched year in
terms of form, not to forget his texting spat with the South Africans
earlier this year which led to him being dropped, but irrespective of
the issues of the field, Pietersen after having struggled in the first
Test, made up in grand style by posting a match-winning 186. What is
disheartening to see is the negative mindset adopted by the Indians with
regards to the Decision Reversal System, because surely with the DRS
being used, the series would have been way more interesting and
competitive. Not only did Pietersen benefit from the experience of
Mushtaq but Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann also made the most of it. If
Pragyan Ojha had the English batsmen in a spot of bother, Monty simply
made the Indians dance as if they were being charmed by a snake charmer.
It is this ability to regroup after losing the first Test and bounce
back with a crushing and demoralising victory over the Indians which
makes England one of the top teams in the world. Much has been said
about Cheteshwar Pujara who rather hurriedly has been quoted to have
taken over the “Wall” a term Rahul Dravid made his very own, is a
prime example of the cult following a player is bestowed with in India
following one successful innings. The young lad is yet to be tested in
the extreme swinging conditions of England and the bouncy tracks of
Australia, where he will establish himself as a force to reckon with
like his team-mate Virat Kohli. Kohli has had a disappointing Test
series so far which isn’t surprising. The recent success he has had at
the international level and that too in a short span of time was always
going to end some day and even better so that a talented player like him
is not wasted simply due to his hot headedness. This series will perhaps
help him mature and allow him to calm down and respect oppositions in
order to be successful. On the other end of
the world in Australia, South Africa have battled hard to hold on to
their number one rank. The Aussies have always been a force to reckon
with, although they have struggled ever since the big stars in their
side retired, Michael Clarke has been a revelation, a leader the Aussies
have dearly searched for. On current form Clarke is without a doubt the
best batsman in the world. He has struck boundaries with exquisite
timing and has confirmed that class is permanent form is temporary. Another Stalwart who
in my opinion trumps Sachin Tendulkar any day is Jacques Kallis, a
complete batsman having all the shots in the book and a more than handy
medium fast bowler. His statistics tell the story and one may not look
further, but it’s not the stats and his achievements which won my
heart, but the ability to do the same over and over again consistently
for his team which makes him the best in the business. Such dedication,
class and commitment are what teams yearn for and this is something
Kallis will pass on to future generations to follow in South African
cricket. The concern for
Australia lately hasn’t been their batting but in fact their bowling,
which has given them little joy, albeit in short bursts, like the first
innings of South Africa in the second Test where they managed to bowl
them out but it lacked consistency and potency allowing South Africa to
draw the match without much trouble. Ever since the retirement of Warne,
the Aussies have struggled to find a spinner of the same calibre, if not
the same, they have not even gotten close to finding a proper spinner
who could win them matches single-handedly. Their fast bowling has also
struggled in recent times, owing much to the injuries suffered by their
top pacemen which has rarely been the case with past Australian sides.
Nonetheless a week of gruesome and challenging cricket is what a
spectator looks forward and with the series hanging in the balance
another cracker of a week is expected. The write is a
practicing Barrister in the High Courts of Pakistan. umairkazi@gmail.com caption PERTH: South
Africa’s cricketers Hashim Amla (left) and Dale Steyn prepare for a
training session on the eve of their third Test against Australia here
on November 29, 2012
The Sachin
question A win hides
individual and team blunders, but a defeat always opens the doors to
criticism. The Indians being crazy about cricket give extreme reactions
in cases of defeats. The Indian team
received criticism from media and the fans when they lost to England by
10 wickets inside four days in the second Test in Mumbai last week.
Skipper MS Dhoni and the little master Sachin Tendulkar have been
singled out as the prime culprits. Tendulkar has been a
major disappointment in the ongoing four-Test series against England.
The way he has been dismissed in the series so far has, once again,
raised questions about his future. Most critics have advised him to quit
as he has passed his prime time. Tendulkar, who
maintained an excellent record almost throughout his career, has managed
only 153 runs in his last 10 innings at an average of 15.3. He scored
his last century in Tests in January last year against South Africa. Former captain Sunil
Gavaskar and Kapil Dev have also advised him to discuss his future plans
with the selectors. But his former teammate Rahul Dravid feels the
senior batsman should be given more time. A senior official of
BCCI and IPL Chairman Rajiv Shukla has also come out in support of the
senior batsman saying one needs to look at his record before making any
comment. He says the veteran cricketer will come back strongly in the
next matches. In his career,
spanning more than two decades, the 39-year-old Sachin has set targets
which would be too difficult to break. He completed 23 years
of Test cricket during the first Test against England last month. In his
long journey he has played 192 Tests, scored 15,562 runs at an average
of 54.60 with the help of 51 centuries and 65 fifties. He has played 463
One-day Internationals, scoring 18,426 runs, including 49 hundreds and
96 half-centuries. He has destroyed practically every bowling attack in
the world. India’s batting has revolved around Tendulkar for more than
two decades. High expectations of
the millions of fans who do not accept anything less than a century from
him put a lot of pressure on the master batsman. No other player suffers
so much from the pressure of expectations. Those wishing to see Sachin
retire in the middle of the series live in a fool’s paradise. Obviously the career
of such a great player should not end like this. He is a legend and it
feels really bad to see fingers being pointed at him. khurrams87@yahoo.com caption Sachin Tendulkar
Whenever a
decision is made its impact in the coming days is, or should be, the
foremost concern of the decision-maker. The more sensitive one’s
position is the greater amount of responsibility gets attached to a
decision. In Pakistan, the
position of the Cricket Board chairman is among the most watched slots,
so a single wrong step made by the person occupying the seat attracts a
great deal of criticism. The era of Ijaz Butt
was by far the most talked about, but has the situation changed since
the new Chairman — Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf — took the reigns of the
Pakistan Cricket Pakistan (PCB)? Quite honestly, it has been a mixed bag
in terms of the decisions taken by him. An overview of the
last one year — since Zaka Ashraf assumed the office — gives an
impression of his being a man desperate to make his mark. Nevertheless,
he has also pressed a few wrong buttons in the process. The latest wrong
button was in connection with the Domestic T20 tournament, which was
finally shifted to Lahore from Karachi. Contrasting statements
from the media department showed the lack of coordination which was
later proved when the President of the Karachi City Cricket Association
(KCCA) Sirajul Islam Bukhari burst the bubble and presented an official
letter from the PCB with instructions to constitute various committees
for smooth operations during the event in Karachi. The board spokesman
later pointed to the unrest in Karachi as the reason for the venue-shift
and this is the point where many eye brows were raised. What kind of message
these statements would transmit to the world — already shying away
from Pakistan — and how would they react in the future? Earlier this year when
the Bangladesh Cricket Board agreed to send its team to Pakistan, a
petition was filed against the move in the Dhaka High Court in which an
article from the local press — regarding the law and order — was
also included to strengthen the case. This time around, a
statement from a person within the PCB could serve the same purpose. The Chairman started
off really well by taking everyone aboard and meeting with former PCB
heads as well as a number of ex-cricketers. He also wrote letters to the
cricket fraternity to seek support. During other relevant meetings as
well, he tried to send his point across pretty efficiently, but a few
wrong calls on important junctures have somewhat spoiled the party for
him. When Zaka took over,
he showed a lot of interest in employing foreign coaches for the
national team despite the fact that the then coach Mohsin Khan was doing
reasonably well. Since then the
Chairman has been advocating the need for qualified individuals. But the
appointment of Mohammad Akram as the bowling coach is opposite of that
very claim. Also, if a certain
level of qualification is a must for a team’s coach then why no
certification is sought for the all important post of the Director
Academies? The efforts of Zaka to
bring back international cricket to Pakistan are honest and highly
commendable. When the Bangladesh Cricket Board hinted at sending its
team to Pakistan, the barrage of statements from the chairman pushed the
hopes high. Even in January ñ when the tour of Bangladesh was still
conditional in many ways — the chairman said that their tour to
Pakistan in April would give a breakthrough. He also said that the
government was onboard, but the tour was called off and later the local
government in Punjab crushed the security wall around the PCB
headquarters, which showed to the world the lack of coordination and
trust between the PCB and the Punjab administration. It is believed that
the boards of Bangladesh and Pakistan are again engaged in talks for a
bilateral series in Pakistan, so it would be better if the PCB chairman
sorted the matter out with the local administration before giving any
statement. The PCB recently
invited former England coach Peter Moores in a consulting role. He has
been assigned to review Pakistan’s domestic structure. If Moores is
the perfect man, then why a task team was constituted by the PCB in last
December? The task team —
consisting of former players — did present their recommendations, but
what happened later is still unknown? If the board wants to
improve the standard of the domestic cricket, won’t it be better to
consult with the people who are actively attached to this system? Representatives of the
departments taking part in the domestic circuit would be in a better
position to apprise the chairman about the shortcomings in the existing
domestic system. Here again the
intentions of the PCB Chairman are not doubted but his execution is
putting a lot of doubts in mind. Another matter which
is limited to announcement only is a call from the PCB chairman to
honour off-spinner Saeed Ajmal. When the ICC snubbed Ajmal the PCB
swiftly reacted, but till date the ‘Best bowler’ award has not been
conferred on him. The board tasked Javed
Miandad with finding the reasons for the worst ever performance by the
U19 team in the World Cup in Australia — where Pakistan finished 8th.
But nothing has come out yet. Separately, the PCB
initiated an inquiry into the conduct of two local umpires, who were
accused by an Indian TV of agreeing to fixing. But nothing has come to
the fore on this issue either. Most recently the
board provided another opportunity to the world to laugh at us by
mishandling the Big Bash NOCs for its players. Initially the players
were allowed to take part in the league, but then they were denied and
finally a conditional permission was given. The reported reason for the
denial and then the conditional approval was that the PCB wanted the
players to give importance to the domestic competition, but wouldn’t
this unnecessary episode hamper Pakistan Cricket Board’s relations
with the Australians counterparts? In the first place it
was not players’ fault at all because they weren’t aware of the
board’s plans to hold the National T20 earlier than usual. The chairman is very
keen on the commencement of Pakistan’s own brand of premier league,
but statements in this regard as well are not helping the cause at all. The chairman has given
many dates for the venture. The purpose of the league is no doubt a bid
to transmit pleasant signals around the world, but when Sindh Sports
Minister Dr Muhammad Ali Shah managed to rope in a few former
international players the cold attitude of the board chairman was not in
good taste. The sensitivity and
attention attached to the post of the PCB chairman demands a lot of
control. A general impression is that the chairman talks on almost every
aspect. In fact he talks a lot — the habit which led to the downfall
of his predecessor. mak374@gmail.com caption Javed Miandad (left)
and Zaka Ashraf
Basketball
and Pakistan Basketball is
one of the world’s most popular sports, played by two teams of five
players each. The aim of each team is to score in the opponent’s
basket and to prevent the other team from scoring. Top-level basketball
is a test of speed and hand-eye coordination, with play rapidly
switching from one end of the court to the other. A crowd pleasing shot
is the “slam dunk”, wherein a player flies through the air and
powerfully forces the ball downwards through the hoop. There is plenty more
for spectators to enjoy, with the high speed skills of dribbling,
passing and shooting. Height is a big advantage in basketball,
especially for the forwards, who are expected to score the majority of
the baskets. Basketball has one of
the shortest histories of any sport being played at the 15th Asian
Games, as the sport was only created at the end of the 19th century in
the United States. Dr James Naismith
invented basketball in December 1891 as an indoor game to keep YMCA
students fit during the winter months at Springfield College in
Massachusetts. Basketball swiftly
spread through YMCA organisations across the US. It made an appearance
at the Olympic Games as a demonstration sport at St Louis in 1904. Basketball was one of
the six sports at the first Asian Games at New Delhi in 1951, with the
Philippines taking the gold medal. In the US, basketball
took off as a big-money professional sport with the founding of the
National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1946. There was renewed
interest at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, when professional players
were allowed for the first time. The US fielded the so-called Dream Team
of highly paid NBA stars, including Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and
Larry Bird, winning games by record margins. The international game
is played on a court measuring 28m in length and 15m in width, with a
basket at each end, positioned 3.05m high and 1.2m inside the endline. Teams score by
dropping the ball through their opponents’ basket; scoring two points,
or three points for a long range throw made from outside a 6.25m arc. The game consists of
four periods of 10 minutes. There are intervals of two minutes between
the first and the second period (first half), between the third and the
fourth period (second half) and before each extra period. The half-time interval
lasts 15 minutes. In the event of a tie, five minutes overtime is
played. Players can move the
ball forward by passing, shooting or dribbling (bouncing the ball when
running). Kicking or punching the ball is not allowed. Ball carriers can
only dribble with their hand on top of the ball, and cannot move both
feet at the same time, or catch the ball between dribbles. Basketball is a
non-contact sport and a foul is called when a player physically clashes
with an opponent. After a foul, the
referee can award a side ball or uncontested free throws to the
opposition as a penalty. Basketball was
introduced in the subcontinent in 1900 and came to Lahore soon
afterwards. The YMCA were the pioneers of the game here. The game might
have come to Karachi about the same time. Gordon College
Rawalpindi was playing the game as early as 1906. Forman Christian
College began the game not later than 1910. Sometime during the
teens, the YMCA began holding All-India Basketball Championship and
carried it on until in the 1930s. In the late 1920s
basketball became one of the regular university sports. The Punjab
Olympic Association had its basketball sub-committee established and
functioning in the late ‘’20s. Since 1947, basketball
has been a part of all the Pakistan Olympics. At the time of
partition, Dr SL Sheets was the only office-bearer left in the
Association, and only eight teams existed. The Karachi Amateur
Basketball Association was formed a couple of years later, which made
the city an important centre of the game in the country. In the early 1950s,
the Services Sports Control Board adopted the international rules to
replace the old ones. The game was
officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee in 1936 and
was included in the World Olympics at Berlin. More than a hundred
countries, including Pakistan, are members of the International
Basketball Federation (FIBA) at present.
The Pakistan Amateur Basketball Federation was formally
inaugurated in February 1952, began functioning in early 1953 and joined
FIBA in 1958. Pakistan have never
qualified either for Summer Olympics or World Championship, but have
participated in FIBA Asia Championship on ten occasions from 1969 to
1993. The country achieved the biggest success at the Asian Championship
in 1979 when the team surprisingly finished sixth. Pakistan’s
basketball team have won three silver medals at the South Asian Games in
four appearances. The last Pakistani
participation in the South Asian Games dates back to 1995, when the
regional showpiece was held in Chennai, India. In April 2009 Pakistan
staged a comeback in international competitions, almost five years after
its last appearance. In Pakistan, many
schools in the bigger cities have basketball courts. These schools help
to bring confidence and interest in the youth by organising
inter-branches and inter-school basketball tournaments. However,
unfortunately, most of the courts located in these schools are in a bad
condition. Still a lot of children have started playing this game and
hopefully these young players will one day represent Pakistan and
possibly bring laurels to the nation. m.ahsankhalid@yahoo.com
Champions
Trophy: A brief history The Hockey
Champions Trophy is the International Hockey Federation’s most
prestigious annual event. Brainchild of Air Marshal Nur Khan, a former
president of Pakistan Hockey Federation, it features the world’s
top-ranked teams. The Pakistan Hockey
Federation started the competition as a men’s tournament in 1978 and
also presented the beautiful trophy. The tournament has
been an annual affair since 1980 for men. Women’s Champions Trophy
began in 1987. In the men’s
tournament, the Australians have won the trophy twelve times, the
Germans nine and the Dutch eight times. Pakistan have been the
only Asian champions, with three titles, including the first two in 1978
and 1980. The criterion to name
the participating teams is laid by the FIH. It has been altered a few
times. Teams finishing first
to fifth in the last edition usually participate, but Spain who stood
second at the last edition haven’t entered the contest. There will be the
winners of 2011 Champions Challenge 1. England, Pakistan and India have
been nominated by the FIH Executive Board. The Champions
Challenge, introduced in 2001, is competed by the teams ranked below the
teams that play the Champions Trophy, with the winner granted a place in
the next edition of the Champions Trophy. From 1978 till 1991
only a Round Robin was played. From the 1992 edition on, after the Round
Robin, play-off matches are played between the numbers 1 and 2 (Final),
3 and 4 and 5 and 6 to determine final standings. The 2011 edition was
the first time when there was no round robin. The eight participating
teams were drawn into two pools. The top two teams from each pool
progressed to a pool of four teams and then from there the top two teams
qualified for the final. The 2012 tournament will have the same pattern.
Of the 33 editions,
Pakistan has hosted the Champions Trophy as many as eleven times, while
Holland has held it six times and Australia and Germany five times each.
India and Malaysia both have had this honour twice and Spain and New
Zealand once. Out of the eleven
occasions in Pakistan, the Champions Trophy has been held six times in
Karachi and five times in Lahore. Australia have
participated in the trophy a record 32 times, the Netherlands 31,
Germany 30 and Pakistan 29. France has made only one appearance, in
1992. Belgium will be the
debutants this time. Only five teams have
won the Champions Trophy so far; each of them has won at least once in
Pakistan. Australia have won the
trophy a record 12 times, Germany nine times, the Netherlands eight
times, and Pakistan thrice. Australia have won the
trophy for four consecutive years, from 2008-2011. They also had three
victories on a trot from 1983-85. Germany achieved the same feat from
1986-88. The highest number of
goals scored in a single CT is 136, in the second edition in Karachi in
1980. The lowest number of
goals scored in a single event is 46 goals, also in Karachi in 1986. The highest number of
goals scored by a single team in a single tournament is 32, by Pakistan
in 1980. Germany conceded only
two goals in 1995 trophy, which is the least number of goals conceded by
any team in the Champions Trophy history. There have been six
occasions when the title winners did not lose any of their game:
Pakistan in 1978 and 1980, Netherlands in 2000, Germany in 2001, and
Australia in 2010 and 2011. The hosts Australians
will be entering the tournament this time with 14 consecutive victories
in the preceding editions. The biggest win ever
was recorded when Australia beat France 9-2 in 1992. The players with the
most men’s Champions Trophy gold medals are Jeroen Delmee, Teun de
Nooijer, Sander van der Weide and Guss Vogels (all NED) and Carsten
Fischer (GER), who have won six gold medals each. Dutchman Teun de
Nooijer has picked up 13 CT medals, the highest number so far. The top three scorers
in the CT are: Taeke Taekema (NED) with 47 goals; Teun de Nooijer (NED)
with 43 goals; and Sohail Abbas (PAK) with 41 goals. Paul Litjens (NED)
with 15 goals in 1980 holds the record for a single edition. Three players, all
from Holland, have scored five goals in a single match: Paul Litjens vs
Britan in 1981, Ties Kruise vs Pakistan in 1982, Taco Van Honert vs
Pakistan in 1993. Yet another Dutch
player, Floris Jan Bovalander, owns the record for the highest number of
hat-tricks: he achieved the feat four times. The fastest hat-trick
in a Champions Trophy match was scored by Australia’s Colin Batch, in
only nine minutes against Holland in the second edition (1980). The highest number of
goals in a final match is four, scored by Germany’s Andreas Becker
against Australia in 1992. Pakistan’s Hanif
Khan is credited with the fastest goal in a Champions Trophy match, when
he put his side ahead after just 11 seconds, against Holland in 1984. The first ever goal in
the Champions Trophy was scored by Pakistan’s forward Shahnaz Sheikh
against New Zealand in 1978. When Germany performed
a hat-trick of victories at the Champions Trophy from 1986-88, they were
led by Heins Dopp on each occasion. Shahbaz Ahmed
skippered Pakistan as many as six times, from 1990 to 1995, a record for
the Champions Trophy. Klaus Kleiter of
Germany (1986-88) and Ric Charlesworth of Australia (2009-11) are the
two coaches to win 3 successive CT titles. Shahbaz Ahmad, Shahid
Ali Khan and Mansoor Ahmed have the maximum appearances (10) in the
Champions Trophy for Pakistan. Penalty corner expert
Sohail Abbas has been Pakistan’s overall top scorer with 41 goals
followed by inside-left Hanif Khan who scored 21 goals. Sohail Abbas is
Pakistan’s top goal-getter in a single edition as well, with nine
goals in 2003. Apart from Shahbaz
Ahmed, who won the Player of the Tournament award twice (1991 and 1992),
five other Pakistanis have won this coveted award: Shahid Ali Khan
(1983), Hanif Khan (1984), late Qazi Mohib (1988), Khawaja Junaid (1994)
and Dr Atif Bashir (1998). Pakistan’s biggest
victories in the Champions Trophy came in the second edition (1980) when
Pakistan defeated both India and Australia by an identical margin of
7-1. Pakistan’s heaviest defeat was 2-9 against Holland in 2006. In 1984, three
brothers represented Pakistan: Manzoor Hussain Jr (captain), Maqsood
Hussain and Mahmood Hussain, all of them forwards, who in one match
played together. Apart from the above
trio, six pairs of brothers have represented Pakistan in the Champions
Trophy: Samiullah and Kaleemullah, Manzoorul Husan and Rasheedul Hasan,
Imran Yousuf and Irfan Yousuf, Raheem Khan and Imran Khan, Mohammad
Anees and Mohammad Asim, Mohammad Sarwar and Mohammad Zubair. This Champions Trophy
will see another pair as goalkeeper Imran Butt is the younger brother of
Rehan Butt, one of Pakistan’s best forwards of recent times. ijaz62@hotmail.com Pakistan’s
records Pakistan appeared in
29 out of the 33 editions (didn’t figure in 2000 and from 2008 from
2010). Three gold: 1978
(1st), 1980 (2nd) and 1994 (16th). Six silver: 1983,
1984, 1988, 1991, 1996 and 1998. Six bronze: 1986,
1992, 1995, 2002, 2003 and 2004. All three Pakistani
victories were achieved on home soil. caption 2011 Champions Trophy:
Aussie captain Jamie Dwyer lifts the trophy |
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