2006 India-Pakistan field hockey test series

The 2006 Indo-Pak series (known as the Airtel Trophy for sponsorship reasons) was the 8th series of bilateral field hockey matches between Pakistan and India.

2006 India-Pakistan field hockey test series
Tournament details
CityChandigarh, Jalandhar
Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi
Dates17 February 2006 – 26 February 2006
Venue(s)5 in 5 host cities
Final positions
ChampionsPakistan Pakistan won the series 3–1
Tournament statistics
Matches played6
Goals scored21 (3.5 per match)
Top scorer(s)Pakistan Tariq Aziz (4 goals)
2004 (previous)

The six match series was played over two legs on home and away basis with three matches hosted in each country from 17 February to 2006 to 26 February 2006.[1] Pakistan won the series 3–1. Pakistan won their fourth consecutive and overall sixth series against India.[2][3] This was the first time India did not lose the away leg of the series and remained unbeaten in Pakistan.[4]

Background edit

Prior to the start of the series Pakistan had won five out of seven bilateral series where as India won one and one was drawn. The two teams had met in December last year earlier in Chennai at the 2005 Champions Trophy with India winning 2–3. Both teams participated in a 4-Nations tournament in Netherlands month before that but did not face each other Pakistan won the tournament defeating Australia 4–3 in the final.

Venues edit

Match Location Venue Date
First Chandigarh, India Sector 42 Hockey Stadium 17 February
Second Chandigarh, India Sector 42 Hockey Stadium 18 February
Third Jalandhar, India Surjit Singh Stadium 20 February
Fourth Lahore, Pakistan National Hockey Stadium 22 February
Fifth Faisalabad, Pakistan Faisalabad Hockey Stadium 24 February
Sixth Rawalpindi, Pakistan Army Hockey Stadium 26 February

Squads edit

India announced its squad on 2 February 2006. India named a rather young squad leaving out many veteran players like Gagan Ajit Singh, Deepak Thakur, captain Dileep Tirkey, Viren Rasquinha and Prabhjot Singh.[5] The Pakistan squad was announced on 8 February 2006.[6] The team was announced by Chief Selector Akhtar Rasool after the two days trials in Islamabad. Muhmmad Saqlain was named as captain despite his ill disciplinary record recently.

  India   Pakistan
Coach   Rajinder Singh Jr. Coach   Asif Bajwa

Results edit

  • Pakistan won the series 3–1.
First leg
Match Date Score Location
1 17 February India 1–2 Pakistan Chandigarh
2 18 February India 1–3 Pakistan Chandigarh
3 20 February India 1–2 Pakistan Jalandhar
Second leg
Match Date Score Location
1 22 February Pakistan 1–1 India Lahore
2 24 February Pakistan 1–2 India Faisalabad
3 26 February Pakistan 3–3 India Rawalpindi

Matches edit

First leg edit

Match 1

17 February 2006
  1–2  
Khandekar   62' Report Aziz   15'
Abbasi   56'
Sector 42 Hockey Stadium, Chandigarh

Match 2

18 February 2006
  1–3  
Sandeep   44' Report Butt   41'68'
Aziz   59'
Sector 42 Hockey Stadium, Chandigarh

Match 3

20 February 2006
  1–2  
Tajbir   26' Report Aziz   16'
Saqlain   30'
Surjit Hockey Stadium, Jalandhar

Second leg edit

Match 1

22 February 2006
  1–1  
Imran   16' Report Tajbir   65'
National Hockey Stadium, Lahore

Match 2

24 February 2006
  1–2  
Warsi   28' Report Rajpal   53'
Kanwalpreet   56'
Faisalabad Hockey Stadium, Faisalabad

Match 3

26 February 2006
  3–3  
Aziz   4'
Saqlain   11'
Shabbir   44'
Report Sandeep   54'
Tajbir   60'
Pillay   67'
Army Hockey Stadium, Rawalpindi

Statistics edit

Team P W D L GF GA GD
  Pakistan 6 3 2 1 12 9 +3
  India 6 1 2 3 9 12 -3

Goalscorers edit

There were 21 goals scored in 6 matches for an average of 3.5 goals per match.


4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

References edit

  1. ^ "Pakistan hockey team arrives in India". DAWN.COM. 2006-02-16. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
  2. ^ "Pakistan win hockey series 3-0". www.rediff.com. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
  3. ^ "Hockey Series: Pakistan let India off the hook in final Test". DAWN.COM. 2006-02-27. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
  4. ^ "Monthly Bulletin". www.bharatiyahockey.org. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
  5. ^ "Rajinder retained India coach". www.rediff.com. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
  6. ^ "Pakistan name hockey squad for India series". www.rediff.com. Retrieved 2021-03-22.