Career
Akhtar was noted for his clean style play and spectacular performance and as such was included in the Pakistani national hockey team in 1971. He was a player of relaxed approach but extreme courage, control and poise were hallmarks of his excellence in a highly demanding position at center-half. From 1971 till 1982, Akhtar played numerous national and international matches, displaying his superior skills in hockey.
He had an exceptional technique and a knack of passing the ball to the right player at the right time. In the latter part of his hockey career, Akhtar made a great mark for himself.
He played a crucial role in Pakistan's victories in 1978 and 1982 Hockey World Cup. In 1982, Akhtar captained the Pakistani team for the Hockey World Cup Championship held in Bombay and won a gold medal for Pakistan by defeating W. Germany in the finals.
After Bombay Hockey World Cup, Akhtar retired in a blaze of glory as skipper of the side which had won the gold in 1982. By then, he had the singular distinction of being the only player to have played in four World Cups.
Akhtar also played in the 1972 Summer Olympics held at Munich, 1976 Summer Olympics held at Montreal and won Silver and Bronze Medals in 1972 and 1976, respectively.
He was a good pivot and played important role in Pakistani victories in 1978 and 1982 Hockey World Cups. He was also awarded highest civil award Pride of Performance by Pakistani Government.
After his retirement from professional hockey he was elected as the chief of Pakistan’s hockey supreme body the PHF. This was to be only for a term of one year. He took over at a time when the PHF was bankrupt and had just gotten out of the 1996 players revolt just before the world cup. He worked with all his heart and his hard work paid off and he was elected for another term as the chief. He was supposed to continue till the year 2002.
He then served as the chairman of the selection committee in the year 2002 and that time too his focus was the development of Pakistani hockey. He ensured that the players were helped in each possible way to maintain their consistency. He is still an active member of Pakistani hockey. He is either coaching or training young lads in Pakistan with the same motto and that is promotion of Pakistan hockey.
Read more about this topic: Akhtar Rasool
Famous quotes containing the word career:
“From a hasty glance through the various tests I figure it out that I would be classified in Group B, indicating “Low Average Ability,” reserved usually for those just learning to speak the English Language and preparing for a career of holding a spike while another man hits it.”
—Robert Benchley (1889–1945)
“Each of the professions means a prejudice. The necessity for a career forces every one to take sides. We live in the age of the overworked, and the under-educated; the age in which people are so industrious that they become absolutely stupid.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
“John Brown’s career for the last six weeks of his life was meteor-like, flashing through the darkness in which we live. I know of nothing so miraculous in our history.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)