‘Let bygones be bygones’ was the motto of the hockey loving crowd of Odisha’s capital city as they forgot the Pakistan team’s offensive behaviour four years ago and cheered for it during its first match of the Hockey World Cup against Germany here on Saturday night.
It was another Saturday, on December 13, 2014, when Pakistan defeated India in a Champions Trophy semifinal at the same venue to silence the home supporters. What happened later was shocking as some Pakistan players burst into ugly celebrations, taking off their jerseys and making obscene gestures at the crowd.
The spectators reacted angrily and booed the team not only that evening but also the following day when it played the final against Germany. The Germans felt at home and benefited from the partisan backing to outplay Pakistan and emerge champion.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) suspended two Pakistan players, Muhammad Tousiq and Ali Amjad, and reprimanded one, Shafqat Rasool. Pakistan coach Shahnaz Sheikh apologised for the incident, which generated some bitterness between Hockey India and the Pakistan Hockey Federation.
Maturity
Anxiety was in the air when Pakistan returned to the Kalinga Stadium for its World Cup campaign. However, the friendly crowd showed a lot of maturity to forget the four-year-old episode and applauded the team Green Shirts whenever they displayed their brilliance on the turf.
Pakistan’s players were also happy with the atmosphere. “People were supportive here. Ever since we have landed in Bhubaneswar, we have received a warm reception. We were at a mall last week and people expressed their love for us,” said captain Muhammad Rizwan.
The players also distributed tickets to some locals when they visited a local mosque to offer Friday prayers.
Irfana Qureshi, an ardent hockey lover from the city, put things into perspective. “Bhubaneswar celebrates the sport and cheers any team that plays good hockey. The Pakistan team had apologised for that incident and had come to the ground with flowers. By appreciating Pakistan’s game, the spectators accepted their apology,” said Irfana.
