HOCKEY

 Hockey is one of the oldest and most popular sports in the world.  Hockey is the national sport of Pakistan.

  Pakistan's history of success in this game is also golden.  Pakistan's hockey field has been outstanding. The Pakistani hockey team has won the Olympic title three times and won the World Hockey Tournament four times. The hockey team came into being in 1948. Pakistan competed in the 16th Olympics in 1956.  Won the title of World Champion in Melbourne. This was the period when the Pakistani hockey team completed the Grand Hockey Grand Slam by winning the first World Cup in Barcelona in 1971 after winning the Mexico Olympics in 1968 and the Bangkok Asian Games in 1970.  The game can be played on a grass field or an artificial turf field.  Field hockey is played between two teams of eleven players, including the goalkeeper.

  If we look at the history of hockey, it is estimated that it is an ancient game. It started from Iran. From Iran it reached Europe. From Europe this game started in France and from there to England.

  By the middle of the 21st century, it was considered the most popular sport in Europe.

   The hockey field is 100 yards long and 60 yards wide.  The round post is 4 feet wide.  The white ball weighs 4.5 ounces and the hockey weighs 12 to 28 ounces.  The duration of the game is 70 minutes and when the game is tied 20 minutes extra is given and if the situation does not change then plant strokes are also given.

   The story of the first Hockey World Cup held in 1971 is very interesting which starts with Pakistan being deprived of hosting this event and ends with it becoming the world champion. Pakistan started participating in the Olympics from 1948.  The Pakistani hockey team came fourth in the London Olympics. At the 1960 Rome Olympics, the Pakistani hockey team under the leadership of Brigadier Abdul Hameed (Hamidi) not only broke the stalemate of not winning a medal but also ended India's six consecutive Olympic gold medals.  Given

 Azlan Shah Cup is an international hockey tournament held in Malaysia.  It began in 1983 as a two-year competition.  It has been played annually since 1998.