Hockey in the Heart of the City
Hockey in the Heart of the City: The December air was crisp, the sky a brilliant blue streaked with clouds like brushstrokes. Below, the deep blue astroturf of the KHA Hockey Complex in Gulshan-e-Iqbal formed a perfect rectangle of order. Just beyond the wall, the relentless honking and dust of University Road faded into a distant hum. Here, hockey took centre stage.
Gold Follows the Script
The finals day held no surprises, only confirmation. The national sport’s gold medals would go to the usual powerhouses. With maximum zeal from the announcer—who cheered silver for Punjab and Navy with equal fervor—the champions were crowned: Wapda in the women’s final, Army in the men’s.
For Wapda’s talisman, Sidra Mateen, it was a second gold of the Games, having already triumphed in basketball. She scored both goals in the 2-1 victory. “I started with cricket, as most girls do,” she told Dawn, “but then stayed where my financial needs were met.” At 28, her perspective had shifted from pure passion to survival. “A job with the department really helps.”
The Final Battle: Army vs. Navy
As Wapda’s celebration cleared, the announcer’s voice cut through: “Hurry up, we have to conduct another match.” Navy and Army took the now-empty turf.
What followed was a tense, compact duel. Coaches shouted instructions in thick Punjabi accents across three frantic quarters. The deadlock broke when Army’s Mohammad Owais struck from a penalty corner. Navy’s Samad Habib answered minutes later, igniting hope, only for Owais to shatter it with a winner in the dying minutes.
The contrast was stark: Army in a chanting, singing dance; Navy faces flat, heavy with disappointment.
Empty Turf, Full Legacy
As the medals were distributed, the sun set, leaving stunning hues of blue and orange in the sky. The turf below was empty, but not quiet in memory. It had been part of something vast—a confluence of 11,000 athletes from across the country. Beyond the wall, the city’s hustle continued: buses honked, dust rose at Nipa stop. But for a day, hockey had carved out a sanctuary in the heart of the chaos.
