The national game of Pakistan is field hockey. It is a popular sport in the country and has been played for centuries. Pakistan has won numerous international field hockey championships, including the World Cup four times. Field hockey is a team sport played on a grass field with two teams of eleven players each. The players use hockey sticks to hit a ball into the opposing team’s goal.
The team with the most goals at the end of the game wins. Field hockey is a physically demanding sport that requires skill and stamina. It is also a very strategic game, as players must work together to create scoring opportunities.
Field hockey is popular in Pakistan. It is a relatively inexpensive sport to play, and it can be played by people of all ages and skill levels. Field hockey is also a very social sport, and it is an excellent way to meet new people and make friends.
If you are in Pakistan, check out a field hockey match. It is a thrilling and exciting sport that entertains you.
When Hockey Became the National Game of Pakistan?
British authorities formed the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) at Pakistan’s formation on 14th August 1947. Ghazanfar Ali Khan was the first president of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, and Baseer Ali was appointed secretary. Pakistan played in national and international championships and finished first among world hockey teams.
The Victory of Pakistan Hockey Team in Matches
In the Olympic games, the Pakistan national hockey team won 3 gold medals. The Pakistan hockey team won the world cup 4 times and set a world record. In addition, Pakistan has won a champion trophy and awards at the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games.
Read More About Pakistan: UNVEILING THE NATIONAL SYMBOLS OF PAKISTAN
Hockey as a Physical Sport
In the past, hockey (national game of Pakistan) was known as a ball and stick game. However, hockey is a physical sport played by two teams. Each team must achieve goals within a limited time period. The team which plans more than the other is a winning team. If both teams fail to score a goal, the match became a tie.
Hockey is a wood stick. On one side of the hockey (national game of Pakistan), there is a curve. The curve is used to hit the ball. Hockey was exciting. However, the game needs extensive practice and stamina to play well.
The Resemblance With Other Games
Hockey resembles an Irish sport played in 2000 BC. There is a lot of evidence of playing a game with the ball and stick by Persians, Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks. Evidence of taking part in this game at Canterbury and Gloucester cathedrals in medieval Europe is also found. In 1861 the first hockey (national game of Pakistan) club was formed in South-East London.
Field Hockey (National Game of Pakistan)
Field hockey (national game of Pakistan) is a popular game among men and women both in European countries and Asian countries. It can be played on natural grass or gravel. The length of the hockey is about 48 inches, i.e., 4 feet. It is played with a ball; the hardball is 73 mm (2.9) in diameter.
History
Men’s field hockey (national game of Pakistan) has been played at the Olympic Games since 1908. On the other hand, women’s hockey has been played in the Olympics since 1980. Field hockey sticks are composed of wood, glass fiber, or carbon fiber.
Hockey looks like a J shape; it has a curve at one end and a flat surface on the other side. Field hockey is an outdoor game. Differentiating from ice hockey (national game of Pakistan), it is called field hockey.
Hockey’s footprints can be traced. The Greeks, Persians, Arabs and Romans, Aztec Indians of South America, and France played this game in different versions. Hockey is similar to earlier forms like hurling, shinty hockey (national game of Pakistan), etc. These games are all stick games.
Hockey was firmly established in the 19th century primarily in schools in England. The first men’s hockey club started in Blackheath in London. Teddington was another London hockey club that made various variations. In addition to banning hands and lifting hockey (national game of Pakistan) above the shoulder, they introduced hand bans. The sphere ball was replaced with a rubber cubic ball.
The British army brought this game to India. International competition began in 1895. During the Victorian era, hockey (national game of Pakistan) became popular among females. Women started playing domestically in 1895. In the 1970s, they performed internationally. In 1974 the first women’s world cup was held. In 1980, women competed in Olympic events.
In 1927, the International Federation of Women’s Hockey was formed. In 1901 hockey was introduced to the US. It became trendy and women played it as an outdoor game. It became popular in different clubs, schools, and colleges.
Game Rules of Field Hockey
Hockey is played between two teams of 11 players. Hockey surfaces are rectangular. Field length should be 100 yards, or 91.4 meters. And the area width should be 60 yards, or about 55 meters. The central line is marked in the center of the ground with two 25 yard lines. One goal counts as one point for each team. A goal is considered if the ball reaches the halfway point of the goal area.
A goal is considered if the ball touches the player’s stick. This ball resembled a cricket ball that was cork-centered, and had a leather covering. Plastic balls were also used at that time. The ball is approximately 9 inches across. Hockey sticks are usually 36-38 inches, about 23 cm. Weight of the balls is about 12-28 ounces, approximately 340-790 gm.
The distribution of players on the ground is as follows: five players stay in the forward area of the game, three players remain at halfback, two players stay as fullbacks, and one goalkeeper stays in the shooting circle. The game has two halves. Each half lasts 35 minutes. There is an intermission of 5-10 minutes between the halves.
Injury requires a time-out is considered. The goalkeeper wears thick and lightweight pads. He is the only player who can kick and stop the ball with his foot or body. However, other players cannot stop the ball with their foot or body; they can only move with the stick.
After the first half-time, the game begins by placing the ball at the center of the ground. The penalty is charged if the player faces bullying from any player, face-off, or the ball is trapped in the hitter’s clothes. If the ball is kicked off the field, various provisions can be used.
Fouls of Hockey Game
Hockey games involve several types of fouls.
- One of them is the offside rule, in which players can not stay up on the field head and can not become heads of fewer than two players of the opposite team. This rule was adopted after the Olympics in 1996.
- Raising the hockey above the shoulder is considered foul.
- The player cannot stop the ball with their hands, body, and foot.
- Undercutting the ball is illegal. Hooking the opponent’s hockey is considered a foul.
- Obstruction rules are closely observed in the game. Hockey players cannot obstruct the opposite team player with his stick or body parts.
These fouls are penalized by providing a chance of a free hit to the opposite team at the point of infraction. One umpire is also on duty as a part of the game for each half of the game.
Conclusion
Field hockey is the national game of Pakistan. It is a team sport in which two teams of eleven players use hockey sticks to hit a ball into the other team’s goal. The game is played on a rectangular field with a goal at each end. The players use their sticks to hit the ball into the goal, and they can also use their feet to stop the ball from going into the goal. The game is fast-paced and requires a lot of skill and athleticism.
Pakistan has a long and successful history in field hockey. The country has won four Olympic gold medals, three World Cups, and eight Asian Games gold medals. Pakistan is also one of the top-ranked teams in the world.
