Bad weather plays folly as the arch-rivals share the spoils in a rare instance
This is an awkward year for India and Pakistan. At least on the sports front. They faced each other twice in the Asia Cup, including the final, and even played in as a single team at the 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games. However, it got even weirder as the arch-rivals jointly won the fifth Asian Champions Trophy, here on Sunday.
After all, it was the rain Gods who played the spoilsport as bad weather and heavy downpour led to calling off the highly-anticipated finale. Prior to this fixture, each side had won the trophy twice.
The rains had started even before the match could commence. Soon, the turf got completely waterlogged as the heavy showers refused to recede. The match officials patiently waited, as did the players from both the sides, for quite a while for the situation to improve. But even after an hour when the nothing changed, concrete steps had to be taken. At 11:40 pm IST, the tournament director met with coaches of both the sides. After a prolonged discussion, the director declared to call off the match, thus making both teams the joint winners.
Pakistan would certainly be the happier of the two. They had earlier lost out to India in the robin stage round by a convincing margin 3-1. They ended the round robin stage at the second spot with 10 points.
India, though, will feel disappointed to miss an opportunity to trump their fellow finalist. Nevertheless, they will still be satisfied by their unbeaten performances in the tournament. India had 13 points off their 5 games, four of which have been victories along with a solitary draw. Highlights of their campaign were the defeat of a formidable South Korea 4-1, aided by Harmanpreet ‘s hat-trick, before the demolishment of Japan by 9-0.
The Best Players
With India being the best team of the tournament outright, it was unsurprising that both the best player and the best goalkeepers were Indians. Akashdeep was declared as the best player of the tournament. He had played a vital role in his team’s brilliant results.
Congratulations to forward @akashdeeps985, whose vital contributions all over the turf during the Indian Men's Hockey Team's campaign at the Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2018 has won him the title of the Best Player of the Tournament on 28th October.#IndiaKaGame #HeroACT2018 pic.twitter.com/imhq92gQ7u
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) October 29, 2018
PR Sreejesh was adjudged as the best goalkeeper of the Hero Asian Champions Trophy, as he conceded just 2 goals in the 5 matches that India played.
A big shout-out goes to @16Sreejesh, Goalkeeper of the Indian Men's Hockey Team, for being adjudged as the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2018 on 28th October 2018. #IndiaKaGame #HeroACT2018 pic.twitter.com/WjUBnomLXV
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) October 29, 2018
Tournament History
It was both India and Pakistan’s last international match before the season-ending International Hockey Federation men’s World Cup to be staged in Bhubaneswar later this year, from November 28 to December 16.
Prior to the finale, India and Pakistan had both won the title twice each. India were the defending champions in this edition, having won the last tournament in 2016. They won their first title in the inaugural edition in 2011. They also finished as runners-up once in 2012.
Pakistan, on their part, won the trophy twice in 2012 and 2013. Apart from that, they have also finished as the runners-up in 2011 and 2016.
