PERTH, Australia, 28 May 2003 — Top hockey rivals India and Pakistan clash for the first time this year in a three-nation men’s tournament starting at Perth Hockey Stadium here tonight.
Political tensions between the neighboring nations would again guarantee a strong focus on the match, Pakistan coach Tahir Zaman said yesterday.
The two teams join Australia and Australia A in a lead-up event to August’s Champions’ Trophy in the Netherlands and then next year’s Athens Olympics.
India’s withdrawal, for political reasons, from the March Azlan Shah Cup, in which Pakistan defeated World Cup holders Germany in the final in Malaysia, has height-ened interest in the Perth tournament.
Pakistan and India lock horns Saturday.
Zaman said while both sides would be experimenting with new players, the feelings between the combatants was always bubbling under the surface.
“That is always there and nobody wants to lose the match,” he said.
“Hockey is our national game, so when you are playing against India everybody is interested, and watching it on television, and it is always a big occasion against India, so we will try and give them good news.”
Indian coach Rijander Singh played down the rivalry, referring to “little problems with our governments” which stopped the sides competing more regularly.
In Perth, the two sides will clash for the fifth time in less than 12 months — with India holding a 3-1 advantage from the four completed matches.
The countries won a game each at the last Champions’ Trophy in Germany in September before India won 4-3 in a semifinal of the Asian Games and then succeeded 3-0 in a Five-Nation tournament in Egypt (both in October).
However, Pakistan emerged from 2002 with the better overall record, winning 25 of 41 internationals (61 percent), while India succeeded in 15 of 34 outings (44 percent).
Australia have a 5-1 edge over India in their last six meetings since the start of last year, but have been beaten twice by Pakistan (with one match drawn) over the same period.
Each side will play each other once before Sunday’s finals, with another tournament in Wollongong and Sydney, on Australia’s eastern seaboard, next week.
Australian coach Barry Dancer, who took over following Australia’s bronze medal win-ning effort at the Sydney Olympics, guided the Kookaburras to a silver medal at last year’s World Cup.
Australia began their international season with a 2-0 home series win in a five-Test series against reigning Olympic champions, the Netherlands, in February when three matches were drawn.
In the Perth tournament’s opening clash, Australia play Pakistan tonight before India take on Australia A.
