KUALA LUMPUR: The Speedy Tigers are not what their name suggests. They are just erratic — playing in fits and starts.
Again, the inconsistency which has been besetting the national hockey team in the past few months, manifested itself against Pakistan in their Asian Champions Trophy opener at the Moqi Training Base in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, yesterday.
An unwelcome case of the Speedy Tigers showing their stripes, one which national coach Sarjit Singh has been trying hard to strip away.
Sarjit's team struggled in the first two quarters against Pakistan, and this led to them conceding two goals.
Fortunately, the Speedy Tigers clawed their way back to snatch a 2-2 draw. Malaysia earned six penalty corners and converted just one.
World No. 16 Pakistan were without three players, Murtaza Yaqoob, Ihtesham Aslam and Abdur Rahman, who were banned for life by the Pakistan Hockey Federation for seeking asylum during the Nations Cup in Poland in June.
The Green Shirts started off well against an off-colour Malaysia, scoring through Sufyan Khan off a penalty corner in the 24th minute and Zikriya Hayat in the 32nd.
World No. 13 Malaysia showed some life in the last two quarters to level the scores through two penalty corners by veteran Faizal Saari (37th) and Nik Rozemi Nik Aiman (56th).
It was the third draw for Malaysia against Pakistan this year. They drew 3-3 in an Olympic qualifier in Muscat in January and 4-4 in a Nations Cup match in Poland in June.
Sarjit said his team did not panic despite trailing in the first half. "My players showed good character in the next two quarters to chase for goals. But we cannot win every time we are trailing in matches as it's not easy to fight back in an international tournament."
In an earlier match, Japan drew 5-5 with South Korea.