Controversy-hit Pakistan feels like 'a car with one tyre missing' at the hockey World Cup

Jonathan Selvaraj in Bhubaneswar


Pakistan's vice-captain Ammad Butt (centre) in action against Malaysia at the 2018 World Cup in Bhubaneswar. Charles McQuillan/Getty Images for FIH

Controversy has a habit of shadowing the Pakistan hockey team in Bhubaneswar. On Thursday night, the side was hit with a one-game suspension of vice-captain Ammad Butt following a collision with a Malaysian forward during the two sides' match on Wednesday. Butt was defending a penalty corner in the 40th minute of the match when he ran into flicker Faizal Saari, clipping him on the side of the head with a raised boot. While the infringement was not punished in the game, it was raised by the Malaysian hockey team after the match, following which Butt was handed the ban by the FIH, which termed his actions a breach of the code of conduct (reckless and careless physical contact between players in the course of play).