Victorious India
India defeated defending champion Pakistan, 3-2, in a physical but non-violent match to regain the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy on Oct. 31 at Kuantan, Malaysia, a magnificent gift to India on Diwali.
This is India's second Asian Hockey Champions Trophy field hockey crown.
The heavily favored Indians, ranked Number 6 in the world, had their hands full against the aggressive Pakistanis, who might have won it but for missed opportunities. One of these was a dramatic one-on-one in the 12th minute where Pakistan might have scored the first goal of the championship.
Substitute goal tender Akash Chikte (who replaced the veteran PR Sreejesh rested due to a pulled hamstring) found himself alone against an onrushing Muhammad Rizwan, Jr.
Rizwan, who took a long ball from inside the Indian circle, only had Chikte to contend with from close range. The substitute, however, stepped-up big time to challenge Rizwan, whose shot went wide.
Pakistan paid dearly for that missed opportunity in the 18th minute when India's Rupinder Pal Singh -- the tournament's highest scorer with 11 goals -- slammed the game's first goal on a penalty corner into the Pakistani net.
Yousuf Affan followed that up with a goal in the 23rd minute on a penalty corner. Elated and leading 2-0, India went cold for the next 27 minutes while Pakistan staged a furious rally to remind their opponents why they were defending champions.
Muhammad Aleem Bilal scored in the 26th for Pakistan's first goal while Ali Shaan fired one into the Indian net in the 38th to tie the score, 2-2. Nikkin Thimmaiah, however, put the game away for India by scoring in the 51st.
In the final two minutes of play, all Indian players fell back into their territory to thwart Pakistan last, frantic attempts to tie the game.
This was the first time teams from India and Pakistan have in the finals of a continental tournament since India dethroned Pakistan as the Asian Games champions in Incheon, South Korea in 2014.
India won the inaugural edition of the Asian Champions Trophy in 2011 by defeating Pakistan in the finals. Pakistan returned the favor in 2013 and repeated as champions in 2013 by defeating Japan in the finals.
The Asian Hockey Champions Trophy is held annually by the Asian Hockey Federation. It features the Asian Games' top six field hockey teams competing in a round robin format. Pakistan and India are the most successful teams in Asian Hockey Champions Trophy, with each having won the trophy twice.
