Malaysia stuns Pakistan in Asian Champions Trophy opener

The return of big hockey to Chennai after a long gap of 16 years is not without a pack of surprises. The first day of the six-nation elite tournament saw Malaysia springing a pleasant surprise by defeating Pakistan 3-1 in a game that saw all four goals being scored in the run of play. Earlier in the opening game, Korea defeated Asian Games champions Japan 2-1.

Pakistan, like India, had been the winner of this tournament on three occasions. The last time Pakistan won the title was in 2018. Bitterness in the bilateral relations between the two neighbours notwithstanding, there have been no serious disruptions in the hockey relations between the two traditional rivals.

Interestingly, it is also after a long time that international hockey has moved out of Odisha to any other State in the country.

Pakistan team came via land route as it crossed over from Wagah border before flying to Chennai to play in the tournament.

The tournament being played at a renovated Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium has attracted six top teams – China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan and hosts India. It has assumed tremendous importance as it is the year of the Asian Games that will decide which Asian team gets direct entry to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Malaysia, who has won a record number of five bronze medals since the inception of the tournament in 2011, packed a couple of surprises for their fancied opponents. A brace by Ashari Firhan in 28^th and 29^th minute had his team up by two goals. Once in the lead, Malaysians did not look back and consolidated it further in the 44^th minute when Silverius Shello scored a beautiful field goal to take the lead to 3-0.

Pakistanis struggled hard to settle down into the playing conditions of Chennai and found their rhythm only at the end when Abdul Rehman worked out a good move to hit the target to accord some respectability to the score.

Earlier, in the opening game of the tournament, Korea defeated Japan 2-1.

Park Cheolon (26^th minute) and Kim Junghoo (35^th minute) were scorers for Korea after Ooka Ryoma (sixth minute) had given Japan the lead.

Prabhjot Singh