A penalty corner sometimes referred to as a short corner in field hockey, is a sanction imposed on the opposing side. It is typically given for a defensive infraction inside the penalty circle or for a willful infraction inside the defensive 23-meter zone. Attacking players seek them out eagerly because they offer a great chance to score. Players learn specialised abilities for this phase of the game, such as the drag flick, and there are specific rules that only apply in penalty corners. The penalty corner has always been a crucial aspect of the game, but since top-level competitions were forced to play on artificial grass in the 1970s, its significance has grown. The significance of penalty corners has come under fire since fewer field goals are being scored in open play as a result of attackers trying to commit a foul in the penalty circle, especially from defenders' feet rather than shooting directly. Paul Litjens of the Netherlands, who excelled at scoring from penalty corners, was formerly the top international scorer with 267 goals in 177 games. Early ball strikers like Litjens and experts were precise and hard-hitting, but the drag flick, invented to get around goalkeepers who lay down during the hit, quickly became the preferred method. As a result, specialists in this technique began to appear, and Pakistani player Sohail Abbas, who is frequently referred to as the "world's finest" penalty corner and drag-flick specialist, eventually broke Litjens' record. Sandeep Singh of India is one of the greatest and has the fastest drag-flick, clocking it at 145 km/h (90 mph). The umpire points both arms horizontally in the direction of the appropriate goal to award a penalty corner. The game may be extended past halftime or full-time to allow for the completion of a penalty corner or any following penalty corner or penalty stroke, even though time in the game is not halted.