India vs Pakistan (Pic credit: FIH)
India have three points from two matches after opening their campaign with a 3-1 win over Wales before suffering a 2-4 defeat against England. Pakistan, meanwhile, have one point after losing 1-4 to England and drawing 3-3 with Wales. They defeated their neighbours 7-1 and 4-3 during the European leg of the Pro League earlier this year, while Pakistan’s last win over India came in the 2016 Champions Trophy. India have also won medals at the last two Olympics, while four-time World Cup champions Pakistan are returning to the tournament after an eight-year absence, having failed to qualify for the 2014 and 2023 editions. The last World Cup meeting between the two sides came in Delhi in 2010, when India won 4-1. Pakistan subsequently missed the 2014 and 2023 editions and did not face India in the 2018 tournament. On August 31, 1973, BP Govinda scored the decisive goal in the 62nd minute to send India into the final. The final was also played at the Wagener Stadium, with hosts Netherlands eventually beating India on penalty strokes after the match ended 2-2 following extra time.
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. England have already qualified for the next round after winning both their matches. India will start as favourites given their recent dominance over Pakistan. “Rankings or past performance don’t matter in a match between India and Pakistan. For India, the equation is straightforward: avoid defeat and they progress. A win would guarantee second place in the pool. For Pakistan, anything less than three points will end their World Cup campaign. “It was one of the fittest Indian teams playing abroad. We outplayed Pakistan, but we could have scored more goals. Surjit was in top form and scored nine goals in the tournament,” Ganesh recalled.