Harmanpreet Singh (Agency Image)
Shivendra Singh , a formidable striker of his generation known as much for his style as his flair with the stick, featured in the last World Cup meeting between the two sides in New Delhi in 2010, which India won 4-1. Their most recent meeting, in the FIH Pro League in June, saw India recover from a one-goal deficit to hammer Pakistan 7-1. Pakistan, who lost to England and drew with Wales, must win to stay alive in the tournament.
Against Pakistan, it is important for us to keep our emotions under control,” said the ace drag-flicker. None of the current crop of Indian players has faced Pakistan in a hockey World Cup before. But they have someone in their corner who knows exactly what such a contest entails. “We made some silly mistakes, and there are lots of learnings from this match. India will start as favourites against a Pakistan side that has struggled to regain even a fraction of its glorious past. Ranked 12th in the world, Pakistan have slipped from being a dominant force to also-rans. Lack of funds, limited scientific and match exposure, federation politics and an inability to keep pace with the changing demands of the game have all contributed to their decline. That result should provide Harmanpreet and his men with confidence, though a World Cup knockout-like pressure will make Wednesday’s contest a different proposition. The equation is simple. India, with three points from two games, need at least a draw to advance.