JAKARTA: The stage is set for Hero Men’s Asia Cup 2022, as Pakistan will begin its campaign against arch-rivals India at the GBK Sports Complex Hockey Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Monday.
Meanwhile, Oman and Malaysia will also clash during the action-packed day today after the former’s success in their Asian Games Qualifier in Thailand. Asian Champions Trophy champions, Korea, will play Bangladesh in the Pool B matches. Moreover, the Asian Games defending champions Japan will face hosts Indonesia.
For the defending champions India, the tournament provides a platform to test its bench strength ahead of a busy season, which includes the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and the FIH World Cup next year. However, the Green shirts are looking to make the cut for the 2023 World Cup in Bhubaneswar.
The top three teams at the end of the Asia Cup will qualify for next year’s FIH Hockey World Cup, to be held in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. India has already qualified for the World Cup as the hosts.
Pakistan hockey team manager Khawaja Junaid said that the Green Shirts will play with their eyes on participation in the World Cup. “We will not come under pressure of any team. Our players won’t think about the high ranking of other teams or their experience of international hockey,” he said.
Junaid said that both India and Japan are strong teams and have the services of experienced players, but Pakistan coach Siegfried Aikman has trained the players according to the strengths of rival teams.
“Our players will go all out against India and Japan and try their best level efforts to surprise them and secure a berth in the World Cup,” he said.
India have named a young team under the leadership of vastly experienced Birendra Lakra and vice-captain SV Sunil. Star performer at the Tokyo Olympic Games, Simranjeet Singh makes a comeback after a long injury lay-off. The team will be guided by two-time Olympian and former captain Sardar Singh as their coach.
Speaking on the eve of their opening match against Pakistan, both Lakra and Sunil stressed the need to guide the youngsters in the high-pressure game. “Pressure is always there against Pakistan,” Sunil said. “As seniors, we can’t be too excited, because then the junior players will come under pressure,” he added.
Lakra said: “Both the teams are young. For us, it is important to go match by match. If the performance is good results will definitely come. If we perform well the confidence level will be high.”
The Asia Cup is being held after a gap of two years as it was postponed last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The top three teams at the end of the Asia Cup will qualify for next year’s FIH Hockey World Cup, to be held in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.
Both India and Pakistan have won the tournament three times each, while South Korea is the most successful team having clinched the title four times out of 10 previous editions. They are placed in pool A with Japan and hosts Indonesia, while, Malaysia, Korea, Oman, and Bangladesh are grouped in pool B.
