By Ijaz Chaudhry
Pakistan's former hockey international Shahid Ali Khan breathed his last in Lahore this Wednesday.
He played at the right half position and represented Karachi and Habib Bank in domestic hockey.
Following the 1972 Olympics, the Pakistan team faced a ban due to misbehavior during the medal ceremony. Shahid was part of the newly formed team that competed in the 1973 World Cup, where they remarkably finished fourth, losing both the semifinal and the third-place match by just one goal.
Despite the presence of right-half Arshad Chaudhry, a player from the 1971 World Cup, Shahid featured in all matches of the tournament. His participation with the national team was limited to another appearance at the 1975 pre-Olympic tournament in Montreal, Canada. In 1974, he toured East Africa with the Young Pakistan team and played against the touring Asian XI that same year.
Shahid Ali Khan hailed from a notable hockey family, with both of his uncles, Asghar Ali Khan and Qamar Ali Khan, also having played at the international level.
Ijaz Chaudhry writes on hockey & other sports. For more about him & his work, visit http://www.sportscorrespondent.info