Daily Times

In truth, sometimes it doesn’t matter whether you manage to walk away with a gold trophy. The performance is all that counts. Though defeated by Japan, in a dramatic conclusion to the 2024 Azlan Shah Hockey Cup, Pakistan deserves all the appreciation in the world for daring to dream big for a sport no one else was in a mood to give two hoots about.

The Green Shirts had made it to the tournament final after an overwhelming gap of 13 years, something that reflects incredibly on their resilience and determination in the face of crucial odds. In a country that lives and breathes cricket, their spectacular performance and the unbeaten record did the unthinkable: forcing everyone from the prime minister to his cabinet to the provincial executives to the entire social media to hold pompoms and pray for them. Why wouldn’t they?

Beating the grim outlook, especially when any attempt to even progress beyond the pool stage looked like a tall order, does not happen every day. But while it is important to look beyond the scoreline and acknowledge the progress and potential of the team, it is even more necessary to emphasise where the government has failed to give them due support and infrastructure.

The Pakistani hockey team has been undergoing a period of transition, with new talent being introduced to the squad and changes being made to improve performance. While there may have been setbacks along the way, it is crucial to embrace change and support the team as they continue to grow and improve. Nevertheless, a media announcement that the state wishes to promote sports cannot amount to much.

For years on end, the measly hockey federation has been in the doldrums with its dire straits demanding the formation of a parallel body in Karachi. So excruciating has been its absence that a simple promise of reward the national team prompted scathing criticism by former players, who wanted the federation to first clear pending dues of players and salaries of its staff.

That the governing body needs to do much, much more in harnessing the talented youth and training them at par with international standards is a bitter pill to swallow. However, it is only by bridging these gaping gaps between junior and senior-level performances and convincing the state to deliver on its lofty pledges that the team can once again rise to the top of international hockey. *