Amstelveen: India will look to extend its decade-long unbeaten run against Pakistan and seal a place in the second round of the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup when the arch-rivals clash in a high-stakes Pool D match here on Wednesday.
India, with three points from two matches, needs at least a draw to progress, while Pakistan, with one point, must win to keep their campaign alive. England have already qualified for the next round after winning both their matches.
India opened their campaign with a 3-1 win over Wales but suffered a 2-4 defeat against world No. 3 England after conceding three goals in the second half.
Defensive lapses and an ineffective penalty-corner conversion rate will be the areas of concern for India coach Craig Fulton.
Pakistan, meanwhile, drew 3-3 with Wales after losing 1-4 to England and will need a vastly improved performance to overcome their neighbours. Their penalty-corner execution and defence have been inconsistent so far.
India have enjoyed the upper hand in recent meetings and defeated Pakistan 7-1 and 4-3 in the European leg of the Pro League earlier this year. Pakistan's last win over India came in the 2016 Champions Trophy.
The gulf in recent performances is also reflected in their recent international record. India have won medals at the last two Olympics, while four-time World Cup champions Pakistan are making their return to the tournament after eight years, having failed to qualify for the 2014 and 2023 editions.
The rivalry, however, has historically produced matches where form and rankings count for little. With a place in the next round at stake, both teams will also have to keep their emotions under control.
India's most experienced player Manpreet Singh, with 419 caps, said his side would not underestimate Pakistan.
"The match against Pakistan will be good, but we are not underestimating them. They also have good drag-flickers, so we will have to avoid giving them penalty corners. We must also create opportunities and capitalise on them. We must focus on our natural game," Manpreet said.
India will also hope to improve their penalty-corner conversion after scoring only once from four opportunities against England.
Pakistan captain Abu Bakar Mahmood, meanwhile, insisted that past records and rankings would have little bearing on the contest.
"Rankings or past performance don't matter in a match between India and Pakistan. The team that plays well on match day will win, and we know how important this match is for our hockey, so we will leave no stone unturned," he said.
Pakistan's preparations have been far from ideal. They were embarrassed in their opening match against England when their penalty-corner protection equipment was left in the dressing room, while against Wales they squandered several opportunities before settling for a draw.
The last time both teams met in a World Cup was in Delhi in 2010, when India, led by Rajpal Singh, defeated Pakistan 4-1. Pakistan subsequently missed the 2014 and 2023 World Cups and did not meet India in the 2018 edition.
For Pakistan, only captain Mahmood and Ammad Butt have previous World Cup experience in the current squad, adding another dimension to a contest in which India will start as favourites but cannot afford complacency.
The match therefore carries more than the traditional weight of an India-Pakistan contest for both teams -- it could determine the direction of their World Cup campaign.
