Abdul Waheed Khan, one of the finest centre forwards the game of hockey has seen, breathed his last in Karachi on February 20 at the age of 85.

He also achieved tremendous success as the manager of the Pakistan team.

Waheed debuted in 1960 during the Pakistan team`s preparatory tour of East Africa, en route to the Rome Olympics.

Since 1947, the nation had been waiting for the Olympics gold medal in hockey. The 1960 team was the best prepared and people back home had great expectations. Pakistan won the gold and young Waheed contributed well. With six goals, he was the team`s second top scorer.

The only other title tournament those days was the Asian Games. At the 1962 Asiad, Pakistan defeated India 2-0 in the final. With 17 goals, he topped the scoring chart in the tournament. Till today, it is a record for a single edition of the Asian Games. Scoring a goal in the final was the icing on the cake. Those days, it was a matter of great pride for players from either country to have their name on the score sheet in the Indo-Pak clashes. They were traditional rivals and the world`s top two sides.

It is worth mentioning that Waheed's tally of 17 goals in the 1962 Asiad is also a Pakistan record for a single edition of any of the 'big six tournaments' -- the World Cup, Olympics, Asian Games, Asia Cup, Commonwealth Games and the Champions Trophy.

Next, Pakistan had to defend their gold at the 1964 Olympics. During the final preparatory camp in Abbottabad, Waheed fractured his thumb and was not part of the team at the Tokyo Olympics. Again, Pakistan and India met in the final. Pakistan created several chances but lost 0-1. Centre-forward Tariq Niazi wasn`t impressive in the earlier matches and left in Afzal Manna was mostly played at the centre forward position. Though a good forward, he couldn`t adjust to the role. People said if Waheed had been in the team, Pakistan would have again returned home with the Olympic gold.

Waheed was back for the 1966 Asian Games. India won the final against Pakistan 1-0. Waheed was again Pakistan`s top scorer with eight goals. His total of 25 goals in the two Asian Games is still a Pakistan record.

Soon after, Waheed announced retirement from international hockey. It came as a surprise as connoisseurs believed he could still play at the top for some years. But he said he wanted to retire at his peak.

Waheed scored 52 goals in his career – the first Pakistani to complete a half-century of international goals.

He continued to represent his department Customs, a very strong team on the domestic scene.

Waheed was a complete centre forward with excellent distribution, superb positioning and proficient scoring. He was a trendsetter as he used to fall back to help his defence, something not seen those days. And he did it with such efficiency that the attack didn’t suffer. Of slight build but imperious in style, bent on his stick with the ball in front — he was a treat to watch.

A decade later, he returned to serve Pakistan hockey in a new role; manager of the national team. Waheed excelled again. The first assignment was the 1976 Quaid-i-Azam Centenary tournament in Lahore. Pakistan won the event contested by most of the top hockey nations. The national team had no assignment in 1977. The year 1978 began with the long-awaited first Indo-Pak test series with two matches in each country.

Pakistan was victorious 3-1. The series also served as preparation for the World Cup in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires. Since 1971, Pakistan had failed to win gold at the two Olympics and the two World Cups; unacceptable to the nation those days. Under Waheed`s tutelage, Pakistan emphatically regained the World Cup. The Greenshirts became the first team to win the World Cup without losing (or even drawing) a single match. Their goal difference of 31 (35 for and four against) in 1978 is still a World Cup record. The total of 35 goals was also a new highest for a single edition of the World Cup at the time. Later that year, Pakistan won the first Champions Trophy in Lahore followed by regaining the Asian Games gold in Bangkok.

In these two events as well, Pakistan won all their nine matches. That Pakistan maintained such an exceptional level of performance throughout the year speaks volumes about Waheed Khan`s managerial skills. No wonder 1978 is remembered as the annus mirabilis of Pakistan hockey. Waheed decided to leave this role, again for the same reason though the President PHF Air Marshal (retd) Nur Khan wanted him to continue. Waheed said, “I have done my job satisfactorily. Good to quit when everyone is happy with you.”

Next year, he wrote Hockey: How to Become World Champions. The book discussed tactics, strategy and positional play.

After a hiatus of seven years, he was recalled as the manager. In 1985, Waheed guided Pakistan to victory at the second Asia Cup in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In November, at the annual Champions Trophy tournament, Pakistan were fourth but towards the end had started showing the formation of a good combination. In their last match, the Greenshirts outclassed the hosts Australia, the winners of that year`s competition.

PHF wanted him to stay. Since the departure of Air Marshal Nur Khan in 1984, the most successful president of the PHF, the federation`s affairs had been mismanaged and as a result, Pakistan hockey was in disarray. Waheed refused to continue.

Later events proved it to be a wise decision. The year 1986 turned out to be a disastrous one for Pakistan hockey. The two-time defending champions were 11th at the World Cup.

Waheed retired from Customs as a deputy collector. A sports freak and fitness fanatic, he remained active in tennis. He mostly played at Karachi`s prestigious Modern Club where he also became a part of the club`s management team.

His younger brother Abdul Saeed Khan Kashani was also a hockey international. Son Faisal Waheed showed early promise and toured China with the Pakistan Sports Board`s Under 19 team in 1983. Soon, he left for the USA for education, saying goodbye to the family game.

Olympic gold medallist Waheed Khan`s accomplishments both as player and manager are enviable.

In 1978, Argentina hosted two World Cups; the hockey World Cup followed by the soccer World Cup. When the Pakistan team landed in Buenos Aires, manager Waheed Khan told the media, “I won`t let any European team destroy the beauty of the game of hockey to win the world title through penalty corners.” His huge statement caught everyone`s attention.

One day, Waheed Khan was informed that the head coach of the Argentine soccer team, Cesar Menotti, had come on his plane to see him.

Much loved chain-smoking Menotti especially wanted to discuss in detail with Waheed the tactics to break packed defences. He (Waheed) explained to Menotti the 'use of wingers' whenever it becomes difficult to override the opposition through the middle. He also elaborated on the strategy of the ‘double attack’ i.e. if a move from the right side failed then immediately efforts are made to initiate a move from the left on the assumption that most of the opponents' defence had become concentrated on the right side and vice versa.

He also watched a training session of the Pakistan team with Waheed. "I explained to Menotti practically. He noted a few points and then left the ground."

Argentina went on to win the soccer World Cup for the first time. And Menotti sent Waheed a telegram acknowledging that the Pakistan hockey team's ploys came in handy to him.

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