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Memories of a match: The 10 minutes of magic in 2003 which caused a crowd invasion

India vs Pakistan hockey matches don't get any more memorable than the 2003 classic. Players from either side of the border recall those 10 minutes of magic from Dhanraj Pillay and Gagan Ajit Singh.

Memories of a match: The 10 minutes of magic in 2003 which caused a crowd invasion
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Rehan Butt (left) said the 10 minutes of magic from Dhanraj Pillay's Indian side stunned the Pakistan side in 2003.
By

Pritish Raj

Updated: 10 Aug 2023 5:33 AM GMT

Chennai: The city is buzzing with multiple things. A Rajinikanth movie, a few music concerts, and a hockey match between India and Pakistan are some of the 'things to do' here on Wednesday.

It's hard to turn Rajnikath loyalists, but most others are expected to secure their seats at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium by the time the latest chapter of an unequal but glorious rivalry begins at 8:30 pm.

"There is no strategy or planning in India-Pakistan games. Everybody plays with their heart and soul," former Pakistani forward and current assistant coach Rehan Butt told The Bridge ahead of the match.

He would remember. He was part of the Pakistan team who were left stunned in '10 minutes of magic' during the 2003 Champions Trophy match at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen, one of the all-time classics in which India scripted a remarkable comeback to beat a formidable Pakistani side 7-4.

The crowd invaded the ground after the win and the stunned Pakistan players needed rescuing, in a throwback to a time when India-Pakistan hockey matches caused stampede-like situations and tense environments.

On television screens too, the manner of India's win left some deep marks. Indian midfielder Manpreet Singh remembers that game as the one that made him fall in love with hockey. "Such games make younger people take up the sport. I remember watching the game on TV and it is still fresh in my memory,” he said.

2003 - A favourite India-Pakistan match among hockey players, fans

It was a must-win game with a bronze medal at stake as the two teams - led by Dhanraj Pillay and Sohail Abbas - walked out at the Wagener Stadium in The Netherlands.

Dhanraj Pillay and current Pakistan coach Saqlain Muhammad in action

"I remember both countries were in need of a win and the atmosphere was electric in the stadium," recalled Rehan.

It was Rehan himself who opened the scoring from a Sohail Abbas drag flick in the 18th minute. “It was a usual goal for me. Sohail bhai flicked the ball and I was waiting to deflect it.”

Pakistan held on to their lead, but at the stroke of half-time, Jugraj Singh converted a penalty corner to make it 2-3. “At half-time, it looked like we were in the driving seat. It felt like the match was going in the right direction,” said Rehan.

With 20 minutes to go, Pakistan still had a 4-2 lead. But there was some magic that would unfold. A ‘one-in-a-million moment', as India defender Viren Raquinha would later describe it.

Deepak Thakur deflected one past the Pakistan defence to make it 3-4. Prabhjot Singh pounced on some magic by Gagan Ajit Singh in the 54th minute to make it 4-4. In the 60th minute, Gagan made it 5-4. Two minutes later, Gagan again ran past three Pakistani defenders and struck a powerful reverse shot while falling down to make it 6-4. Three minutes later, Deepak Thakur pounced on a ball from Prabhjot Singh to hit the final nail in the coffin and finish past Salman Akbar to make it 7-4.

Action from the 2003 Champions Trophy classic

It looked magical and it felt magical. Ten minutes of pure wizardry on the hockey field by Dhanraj Pillay and Gagan Ajit Singh had sent the crowd into a wild frenzy.

“The emotion about that game is hard to describe. It was magical and when we were down, we just needed to one goal to turn it around which we did in style," Rasquinha would say later.

Even Dhanraj Pillay has called this game his favourite memory from the India-Pakistan rivalry.

In the press box on Wednesday, as journalists secure their seats for what could be another historic match, there are sure to be references made to the '10 minutes of magic' from 20 years ago, when India and Pakistan combined to cook up a classic.

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