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Heartbreaking loss
When Bhubaneswarites woke up groggy-eyed on this cold (by Bhubaneswar standards) Sunday morning, the usual joy of a holiday was missing. Like the Kalinga war, one of ancient India’s greatest wars, fought on this soil, the battle between bitter rivals India and Pakistan inside Kalinga stadium too had the same conclusion – defeat for the home side.
Thus, for the masses of Odisha, who had returned heartbroken from Kalinga stadium last night, and the countless other television viewers, who watched in mute astonishment Pakistan’s last gasp victory over India in the Hero Champions Trophy Semi-final on Saturday evening, the home side’s defeat had yet to sink in. Nevertheless, for the thousands of locals, who excited by this tournament, had taken to the game of hockey, there was less pain and more anger. The anger over Pakistan team’s post-match behaviour seemed to surpass the pain of India’s defeat. Victories and defeats are part of any game.
Crowd support
The crowd, in this capital city of Odisha acknowledging this fact, and also the game of hockey and the tournament in general, had sportively cheered every team in the tournament, including Pakistan in each of the pool matches. Every single time the female commentator, commenting for the stadium crowd, asked the routine question before every game – ‘how many of you are supporting this or that team’, there was a loud cheer reserved for each team, even Pakistan. Many a time, it was the same people who cheered either of the teams, with rarely a jeer for any team.
This kind of hearty support had led some players of Netherlands and Germany to call it the ‘best tournament’ they had ever played. Only when the visiting teams played the hosts did they find no support from the crowd. Hence, in such a scenario, when the crestfallen home crowd were still coming to terms with India’s cruel defeat in the dying moments of last night’s game, the disgraceful antics of some impertinent members of the Pakistani squad was unnecessary. The Pakistan team had this wonderful opportunity to win the crowd after winning the match, but they simply blew it away by their despicable behaviour.
Questions will be raised about the new format
In a topsy-turvy tourney, whose unusual format ensured that unlike other major tournaments in other notable sports, where a couple of losses in a four-team group meant certain exit; here a team could still qualify for the quarterfinals even if it lost all of its pool matches, as was the case with Pakistan. Hence, the rare event of the bottom two teams from either group making it to the quarterfinals, thus enabling them to enter the semi-finals with one great performance in the quarters, in spite of losing most of their group games; Germany, India and Pakistan being the best examples.
Up until the quarters, Pakistan were the worst team in the tournament, conceding thirteen goals and scoring a paltry three in total against the three teams they played in their group. They also had the worst result of all the pool games – an 8-2 humiliation at the hands of England. Yet, they made the quarters and now are in the final. If they go on to win the tournament, it will really sound strange that a team that lost all its group games and was thrashed in one of the pool matches has managed to win the tournament.
This will raise serious questions about this new format introduced by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), because it is bound to send the wrong signals. The teams that put in more effort by winning their pool games are out and those reserving their energy for the knockout stages are in the semis and finals; England and Netherlands are the examples of the former and Pakistan and Germany of the latter. After all what’s the point of winning the pool games if you are guaranteed a place in the quarterfinals?
Tight security for the final
The Pakistani team, who up until now were shown scant animosity from the vociferous home crowd, perhaps, irked by the lack of ill-will decided to add salt to the crowd’s wounds by their outrageous gestures and post-match celebrations. As per a recent PTI report, the Pakistani team only managed to play the Champions Trophy due to the charity of some Pakistani businessman, who funded the trip to the tournament, after their government had backed out. Thus, at a time, when Pakistan hockey is in the doldrums with negligence and scant funding for the game, this kind of behaviour is unwarranted and unhelpful.
With the clock now ticking towards the final, the temperature inside Kalinga stadium is apt to rise and the Pakistanis will surely feel the heat, having rubbed the crowd the wrong way. Though there have been no untoward incidents yet, the authorities wary of last night’s incidents have tightened the security in and around the stadium. On the other hand, it’ll not be surprising to see all of Pakistan’s team members alight from their team coaches in goalkeeping outfits as a precautionary cover after last night’s actions. Nonetheless, in this entire fracas, one team will reap the benefits – Germany, who are bound to get the kind of support reserved for home sides.
