Pakistan captain Abu Bakar Mahmood has stated that rankings will not be a significant factor when his team faces India in the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup on August 19. Despite India holding a higher ranking and having recently secured a 3-1 victory over Wales, while Pakistan suffered a 4-1 defeat to England, Mahmood emphasised that the outcome of the rivalry match will depend on the performance on the day.
Mahmood acknowledged India’s superior ranking, stating, “I have no hesitation in accepting that the Indian team is much better than us in rankings, but in the India-Pakistan match, rankings don’t matter. The performance on that day is important… It will only be decided on the day of the match which team is playing well and will win.”
Seeking to end a losing streak
Pakistan’s last win against India occurred in June 2016, a 4-3 victory during the Champions Trophy in London. Since then, India has maintained an advantage, including recent 4-3 and 7-1 wins in the London leg of the FIH Pro League. Mahmood, however, believes Pakistan’s preparations will enable them to challenge their rivals, noting that his team has “come fully prepared this time.”
Pakistan is participating in the World Cup after an eight-year absence. Their preparations included a Pro League campaign where they finished last. Mahmood described this experience as a learning opportunity against top international teams. He mentioned that before the Pro League, Pakistan was ranked 14th globally and has since moved to 12th.
The team also underwent a coaching change before the World Cup, with Dutch head coach Herman Kruis departing. Goalkeeping coach Bob-Johan Veldhof subsequently took charge. Mahmood praised the efforts of the support staff, including coach Adnan Zakir and Bob, highlighting the positive impact on the team.
Mahmood and former captain Ammad Butt are the only players in the current squad with prior World Cup experience. Mahmood, who was the youngest player in the 2018 World Cup at 19, aims to share his experience with the younger members of the team. He noted that the core group of the Pakistan team has remained consistent for the past two to three years, with several players nearing their 100th international cap, indicating no lack of experience.
Domestic structure and rivalry intensity
Former Pakistan captain Salman Akbar has attributed his nation’s hockey decline to a weak domestic structure, contrasting it with India’s investment in grassroots hockey and the Hockey India League, which he believes contributed to India’s recent international success. Akbar, who represented Pakistan in 230 international matches, identified the lack of regular domestic competition as a primary reason for the decline.
Akbar highlighted India’s strategic investment in its domestic structure following its failure to qualify for the 2008 Olympics. He noted that India has since achieved significant success, including Olympic medals and a gold at the 2023 Asian Games, along with multiple podium finishes at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Champions Trophy.
Despite the differing fortunes of the two teams, Akbar anticipates that the India-Pakistan rivalry will remain intense. He views the upcoming match as a significant chance for Pakistan to end its losing streak against India, which has persisted since 2016.
Meanwhile, Pakistan manager Mohammad Awais Qarni stated that the team is focusing on their upcoming match against Wales, describing it as a “do-or-die” encounter. This follows their 4-1 defeat by England. Qarni acknowledged the pressure on the young Pakistan squad, many of whom are making their World Cup debut. He added that the team had identified mistakes from the England match and aimed for a more aggressive and clinical performance.
Wales, Pakistan’s next opponent, lost 3-1 to India on Saturday, making their Monday meeting crucial for both teams. The top two teams from Group D will advance to the second stage, while others will proceed to classification matches. Pakistan is scheduled to play India in their final group game on Wednesday.
In another Group D fixture on Monday, India will face England. Elsewhere, hosts Belgium defeated France 3-2 in a men’s World Cup match on Sunday, with Alexander Hendrickx, Nelson Onana, and Roman Duvekot scoring for Belgium, and Eliot Curty and Florent Vaal for France. In the women’s tournament, England began their Group D campaign with a 4-0 victory over South Africa.
Pakistan, four-time World Cup champions, are determined to maintain their historical legacy in the tournament, with Mahmood stating, “Every player wants to see their team at the top.”
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
