Now
featuring two age categories – Junior (born on or after January 1, 1998) and
Youth (born on or after January 1, 2000) – the first IHF Trophy event of a packed 2018 took place in Faisalabad,
an industrial city in the eastern Punjab province of Pakistan.
This
year, the IHF Trophy will feature men’s competitions, ahead of next year when
it switches to the women’s competition, and the tournament in Pakistan was full
of drama and excitement.
Alongside
hosts Pakistan (PAK), who had teams in both the youth and junior events,
Bangladesh (BAN), India (IND), Maldives (MDV) and Nepal (NEP) competed in the
youth competition, while in addition, Afghanistan (AFG) competed in the junior
event.
After
15 games in the junior competition and 10 in the youth competition on the Open
Hard Court Stadium at the University of Agriculture, it was the same 1-2-3
finish in both competitions as India took the titles, and a gold medal in both,
with Pakistan claiming silver and Bangladesh in third. The second place in both
age groups was heartbreaking for the hosts as they lost to India in both their
final group games. Both India teams now progress to the Continental Phase of
the IHF Trophy - Asia to be held later this year.
The
tournament in Faisalabad took place from 10-15 March and in the youth (U19)
competition Devender Anumala’s India side were dominant, winning all four of
their games, against Nepal (61:14), Bangladesh (41:20), Maldives (62:12) and
the hosts, Pakistan (49:30). The Indian men’s junior (U21) team coached by Sarwan
Kumar Arora were also able to emulate their younger side by winning all five of
their games, against Afghanistan (36:14), Maldives (33:21), Nepal (47:17) and
Pakistan (40:29).
As
well as an impressive opening and closing ceremony which featured cultural
shows, teams, officials and a variety of VIPs, including Pakistan’s Minister of
State for Textile and Commerce, Muhammad Akram Ansari, and Lt.Gen(r) Syed Arif
Hasan, President of the Pakistan National Olympic Committee and Vice President
of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), the IHF conducted coaching and referee
seminars with IHF expert Ali Raza Habibi (IRI) overseeing the coaching course
and those participants who passed presented with certificates at the closing
ceremony.
2018
was the second time Faisalabad hosted an IHF Trophy event after the successful
men’s and women’s competition held back in December 2014.
FINAL RANKINGS: IHF
Trophy - Zone II (South and Central Asia)
Junior
Competition
1
GOLD India (IND)
2 SILVER Pakistan (PAK)
3 BRONZE Bangladesh (BAN)
4
Nepal (NEP)
5
Afghanistan (AFG)
6
Maldives (MDV)
Youth
Competition
1
GOLD India (IND)
2 SILVER Pakistan (PAK)
3 BRONZE Bangladesh (BAN)
4
Maldives (MDV)
5
Nepal (NEP)
FULL RESULTS
Saturday 10 March
Youth
Competition
NEP
vs PAK 16:56 (8:30)
MDV
vs BAN 21:47 (10:23)
Junior
Competition
MDV
vs BAN 9:45 (5:18)
NEP
vs PAK 13:50 (6:23)
AFG
vs IND 14:36 (8:19)
Sunday 11 March
Youth
Competition
PAK
vs MDV 64:11 (33:6)
NEP
vs IND 14:61 (7:23)
Junior
Competition
BAN
vs NEP 43:21 (25:10)
IND vs MDV 33:21 (18:12)
PAK vs AFG 46:15 (21:10)
Monday 12 March
Youth
Competition
IND
vs BAN 41:20 (22:13)
MDV
vs NEP 26:23 (14:7)
Junior
Competition
MDV
vs PAK 19:43 (7:23)
NEP
vs AFG 26:20 (12:12)
BAN
vs IND 22:48 (12:30)
Tuesday 13 March
Youth
Competition
IND
vs MDV 62:12 (26:7)
BAN
vs PAK 17:33 (8:18)
Junior
Competition
NEP
vs IND 17:47 (8:23)
AFG
vs MDV 31:12 (15:9)
Wednesday 14 March
Youth
Competition
BAN
vs NEP 56:31 (27:16)
Junior
Competition
PAK
vs BAN 44:21 (24:9)
MDV
vs NEP 22:32 (11:16)
Thursday 15 March
Youth
Competition
PAK
vs IND 44:21 (24:9)
Junior
Competition
BAN
vs AFG 52:21 (23:9)
IND
vs PAK 40:29 (18:15)
Photos: AHF