Asia

From Sardar Khan

Any possibility of an off shore hockey series between Pakistan India has vanished as the Indian Hockey Federation officials failed to turn up to attend the Asian Hockey Federation council meeting in Ipoh, Malaysia last month where the fate of the proposed series had to be finalized, said PHF secretary Brig. Musarrat Ullah Khan in an exclusive interview to sportsmasala.com

Both India and Pakistan were willing to play a test series in Malaysia in a brief stop over before leaving for Australia to take part in two Tri-nation events featuring Pakistan, India and Australia in last week of May. Musarrat said PHF and Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) are always willing to play the series but ever since the Indian foreign office has started interfering in the matter, the series seemed far from reality.


The Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) and Malaysian Hockey Federation had offered to provide the logistics to host the series as joint venture partners and details had to be finalized in the AHF meeting. The Indian officials, however, did not come to attend the meeting apparently in protest to the action taken by the Malaysian immigration officials against the Indian IT professionals that also prompted the Indian Government to withdraw it?s team from the recently concluded Azlan Shah cup .

The high ups of both the national hockey bodies, had decided to initiate a hockey series between the two nations in 1978 to be played on home and away basis. The first series comprising of four matches was won by Pakistan by 3-1 in 1978.

The series some how was managed to be played with intervals till 1988 when both countries also played off shore series in Dubai in 1982, won by Pakistan 2-0 and in Kuwait City/Doha in 1984 won by India with similar margin. But after 1988 there was no series for a decade due to political tension.

The bilateral series was once again restored in 1998 as annual feature on home and away basis and continued till 1999 but once again became victim of political decision mainly from the present Indian Government who is against any bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan due to the Kashmir issue.

Pakistan won five series in 1978 , 1981 , 1982 ,1998 and 1999 . India won two Series in 1984 , 1986 . The 1988 series was ended in draw. Of the 43 matches played in these eight series , Pakistan won 20 and lost 15 matches while eight were ended in draw . The goal counts in favor of Pakistan are 105-84.

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