The Order of Merit was presented to legendary Pakistani hockey player Shahbaz Ahmed, commonly known as Shahbaz Senior, on Saturday at the 48th Congress of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) in Lausanne, Switzerland. For 16 years, Shahbaz played for Pakistan and is regarded as one of the greatest hockey forwards in history.
Both the 1990 World Cup in Lahore and the 1994 World Cup in Sydney were won by the 54-year-old, who played more than 300 times for Pakistan. Additionally, he competed for Pakistan in the squad that won the bronze medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.
Shahbaz was able to create magic when it was least anticipated thanks to his distinctive dribbling abilities and cross-field runs. His greatest strength was his extraordinary physical condition; he was a lean and agile athlete with strong legs and supple muscles who could easily run around the field. The green shirts were a regional force during his playing career, especially when playing India, their bitter enemies. The brilliant play of the great forward in pivotal games helped to win the 1990 Asian Games and the 1989 Asia Cup. The heroics of Shahbaz in the Asia Cup final in Delhi left the Indian fans shaken and irate as Pakistan won the competition. On their way to the hotel, hooligans attacked the team bus, inflicting minor injuries on a few of the players.
Shahbaz received some of Pakistan’s highest honors and recognitions, such as the Pride of Performance and Hilal-e-Pakistan awards. The national hockey team’s last year of international success was 1994; with Shahbaz’s retirement, it appeared like an entire generation of Pakistan’s brilliance had evaporated. Even though it has been twenty years, millions of people still recall his stunning runs against Australia, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Congress also chose Tayyab Ikram to lead the FIH as its new president. According to a news release from the FIH, Tayyab Ikram received 79 votes to Marc Coudron’s 47, giving him the absolute majority of more than half of the 126 votes cast by the member National Associations. The previous FIH President, Dr. Narinder Dhruv Batra, resigned on July 18th, and the incoming president will have a two-year tenure to accomplish his or her duties.
Ikram committed during his speech on this occasion to strive for the development of international hockey. Ikram commented that he loves hockey, and the hockey community and game have altered his life for the better. For the help today, he wants to thank every one of us. He promises to bring the FIH together and spread the message of unity. During the congress, the participants also participated in a virtual conference called “Stronger Together,” which covered important subjects such as fan involvement, innovation, sustainability, development, and governance.
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 in Lausanne, Switzerland. For 16 years, Shahbaz played for Pakistan and is regarded as one of the greatest hockey forwards in history.){kind=link}