PERTH, May 27: 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 on Wednesday night.

Political tensions between the neighbouring nations would again guarantee a strong focus on the match, Pakistan coach Tahir Zaman said on Tuesday.

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 heightened interest in the Perth tournament.

Pakistan and India lock horns on Saturday.

Tahir 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 Gamnes and then succeeded 3-0 in a five-nation tournament in Egypt (both in October).

Provisional national squads chosen for Perth tournament:

Australia: Mark Hickman, Stephen Mowlam, Matthew Wells, Bevan George, Aaron Hopkins, Dean Butler, Brent Livermore, Paul Gaudoin, Liam De Young, Troy Elder, Scott Webster, Travis Brooks, Jamie Dwyer, Michael McCann, Craig Victory, Tristram Woodhouse, Nathan Eglington.

India: Devesh Chauhan, Kamaldeep Singh, Dilip Tirkey, Kanwalpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh, Ignace Tirkey, Bimal Lakra, Vikram Pillay, Viren Rasquinha, Prabodh Tirkey, Baljit Singh Saini, Dhanraj Pillay, Baljit Singh Dhilon, Gagan Ajit Singh, Prabhjot Singh, Tejbir Singh, Tushar Khandekar.

Pakistan: Ahmed Alam, Ali Raza, Tarik Imran, Ghazanfar Ali, Mohammad Saqlain, Dilawar Hussain, Rehan Butt, Mudassar Ali Khan, Kashif Jawwad, Mohammad Shabbir, Saleem Khalid, Salman Akbar, Zeeshan Ashraf, Adnan Masqood, Aqeel Khan, Shakeel Abbasi, Imran Rasool.—AFP