Ijaz Chaudary.
The only two nations with hockey as their national game have enviable records. India has won the Olympic gold eight times, more than any other country. Pakistan has lifted the World Cup four times, again more than any other country.
One country in this region i.e. South Asia has a lucrative professional hockey league but it is neither India nor Pakistan! Rather, it is one nation which has never even come close to qualification for the Olympics or the World Cup. Bangladesh’s premier division hockey league often features the biggest stars of the sub-continent. The number of the teams in the premier division varies from 8-10 but the main tussle for the top honours has always been between the three major and richest clubs: Mohammedan Sporting, Abahani Limited and Usha Krira Chakra. All the teams figuring in the league are based in the capital Dhaka and all the matches are played in the Moulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium.
Last season the penalty corner supremo, Sohail Abbas, the world record holder of the highest number of goals in the international hockey, appeared for Abahani along with other Pakistani Olympians Mudassar Ali Khan, Tariq Aziz and M.Nasir. Mohammedan had M.Saqlain, the former Pakistani captain in their colours along with the Pakistani Olympian Shabbir and Malaysian Olympian Chua.
The matches between any two of these three sides attract crowds in thousands while the crunch games towards the very end of the season draw tens of thousands of fanatical supporters. The mid 90s perhaps witnessed the most memorable ties. There was tremendous representation from Pakistan, who were the World Cup holders, as well as from India, ranked 5th in the world at that time. More than the world rankings, it was the presence of some of the game’s all time greats that captivated the Bengalis. Shahbaz Ahmed, easily the greatest player of that era, donned the Mohammaden colours while Dhanraj Pillay, India’s finest forward of the 90s, was with the Abahani. Mohammaden also had two other great Pakistanis in right in Tahir Zaman and that cracker of a centre forward Kamran Ashraf, the highest scoring forward of the ’94 World Cup. Abahani, as well as the mercurial Pillay, had the services of India’s celebrated right winger Mukesh Kumar and another fine forward in Sabu Virkey. When the two giants of the Bangladesh hockey clashed in 1997, more than 45,000 fans raised the roof at the Moulana Bhashani stadium during the match perceived as a Pakistan vs India tie. After one such Mohammedan vs Abahani clash in mid 90s, an on field scuffle between the opposing players led to a free for all not only on the pitch but also among the supporters of the two teams as well. Police had to resort to tear gas, cars were burnt outside the stadium and around 50 spectators sustained injuries requiring hospital treatment. Such is the passion the clubs inspire.
The premier division runs for about a couple of months but the big names are called to play only 4-6 vital matches. Like any sportsman, it is the financial gains that attract such big names. Super stars like Sohail are paid around 12,000 US $ for just one season. Others also get good money as per their reputations.
Hockey is the number three sport in Bangladesh after soccer and cricket. Both Mohammedan and Abahani also have soccer and cricket teams, again studded with foreign players. A large proportion of the Bangladesh squad for the cricket World Cup 2011 came from these two clubs. The title sponsorship of the league also attracts big brand names. For last few seasons, it has been the ‘Green Delta Premier Hockey League’.
It is difficult to foresee Bangladesh hockey creating sensation on the international horizon in near future but the country can rightly take pride in having a league which is the envy of the entire region.
Ijaz Chaudhry writes on sports. For more about him and his work, visit:www.sportscorrespondent.info
