KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27: Four-time finalists India are looking to win their first Asia Cup when they take on rivals and three-time champions Pakistan at the National Hockey Stadium here on Sunday.

India have made the finals of four of the last five finals whereas Pakistan were winners in 1982, 1985 and 1989. Pakistan won the inaugural edition after beating India 4-0 in the group matches.

India lost to Pakistan in 1985 and 1989 and in the 1994 tournament lost to South Korea.

Sunday will mark Pakistan’s fifth apperance in a final — in 1999 they lost 5-4 to South Korea in a closely-contested game.

Pakistan are expected to hold the edge on Sunday, having won a preliminary round match between the two sides on Wednesday 4-2.

But India has promised to put up a good fight.

“We have analysed the match and rest assured we will not repeat the mistakes we made in the first match,” Indian coach Rajinder Singh said.

“On that day our forwards squandered many goal-scoring chances but they made up for it with a solid performance against the Koreans in the semifinal.

“If we can convert the chances, then there is a great chance we can end our barren run in this tournament.”

Deepak Thakur, Gagan Ajit Singh, Prabhjot Singh and Dhanraj Pillay will be charged with ensuring India finds the back of the net.

Pakistan coach Tahir Zaman said the match would probably be decided by the heroics of penalty-corner ace Sohail Abbas.

“Sohail has not been scoring as regularly as he ought to but I am confident that he will rise to the occasion,” he said.

“We will not sit back and allow India to dominate the match but aim to attack at every given opportunity.

“It will be a closely-fought match but one which we will eventually win,” he said

The winner of Sunday’s match receives a berth for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.—AFP