Pakistan may have endured a difficult run against India in recent years, but captain Abu Bakar Mahmood believes the numbers will count for little when the arch-rivals meet at the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup on August 19. With India ranked higher and coming off a 3-1 win over Wales, while Pakistan suffered a 1-4 defeat to England, Mahmood insists the rivalry will be decided by performance on the day.“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,” Mahmood told PTI ahead of the marquee clash.
Pakistan seek to end decade-long wait
Pakistan’s last victory over India came in June 2016, when they won 4-3 in the Champions Trophy in London. India have since maintained the upper hand and recently defeated Pakistan 4-3 and 7-1 in the London leg of the FIH Pro League.Mahmood, however, believes Pakistan’s preparations can help them challenge their more highly ranked rivals. He acknowledged India’s recent achievements but insisted Pakistan have also arrived prepared.“India is the only Asian team to have won medals in two consecutive Olympics. This is a good thing for Asian hockey, and we wish them all the best for the World Cup, but we have also come fully prepared this time,” he said.Pakistan are returning to the World Cup after an eight-year absence. Their preparations included a difficult Pro League campaign in which they finished ninth and last, losing all their matches. Mahmood said the experience was primarily about learning against the world’s best.“Before the Pro League, we were ranked 14th in the world, and now we’re 12th. We played against the world’s top teams in the Pro League and learned a lot,” he said.“We also tried a few new things in the last two stages. We went to the Pro League to learn, not to win the title, as we hadn’t played good matches against big teams in a while. Now, our performance in the World Cup will reflect how much we have learned.”
Young Pakistan side aims to revive legacy
Pakistan also had to navigate a coaching change before the World Cup, with Dutch head coach Herman Kruis returning home just before the team’s departure. Goalkeeping coach Bob-Johan Veldhof subsequently took charge, with Mahmood praising the work done by the support staff.“Coach Adnan Zakir, Bob, and the support staff have worked very hard over the past month. This has had a positive impact on the team, and the results are showing. We have to surprise and perform well every day. Our goal is the Asian Games, but we would like to reach the last eight in the World Cup,” he said.Mahmood and former captain Ammad Butt are the only players in Pakistan’s squad with previous World Cup experience, but the 28-year-old does not see that as a major weakness.“The core group of this Pakistan team has remained the same for the last two or three years, with one or two players coming in and out. There are four or five players who are on the verge of 100th cap. There’s no lack of experience,” he said.Having played in the 2018 World Cup in India as the youngest player in the squad at 19, Mahmood now wants to pass that experience on to the next generation.“I have a responsibility, but I enjoy challenges and hope the tournament will be a good one for me and my team. I was 19 years old and the youngest player in the 2018 World Cup in India. I learned a lot, which I still remember. I want to share what I learned from our senior players and Olympians with the young players in my team,” he said.Pakistan, four-time World Cup champions, are also determined to protect their historic status in the tournament. “We want to continue that legacy so that Pakistan retains this record. Every player wants to see their team at the top,” Mahmood said.
