GOLD COAST: Pakistan face arch-rivals India in the pool match of the Commonwealth Games hockey event at the Gold Coast Hockey Centre in Labrador on Saturday.

The clash between the former giants of world hockey will surely be one of the most highly-anticipated contests of the Commonwealth Games hockey event and the organisers are expecting a jam-packed stadium.

Both the countries have a long and proud hockey history, with this emotionally charged clash never failing to entertain.

“I addressed the team before my first match against Pakistan [on Gold Coast] and they said it was ‘business as usual’ so we are taking it as normal,” India’s coach Sjoerd Marijne said in a media briefing.

“We always play like a team and hopefully, our players will produce better performance. Rather than focusing on one match we have an eye on the whole tournament.

“It would be a [good] match and certainly people who are here or watching around the world would enjoy a best game of hockey,” Marijne, of the Netherlands, added.

Pakistan and Manpreet Singh-led India are placed in pool ‘B’ alongside Malaysia, Wales and England.

“Currently, we are not thinking about how important this year is especially with the World Cup in Bhubaneswar being held in front of home crowd. The only thing we have on our minds right now is our first match against Pakistan,” said the 25-year-old Manpreet.

Pakistan, who in their first match at the Games were held by Wales to a 1-1 draw, would certainly be a different outfit altogether while competing with India.

“It [game against India] means more to millions of fans who watch this game,” Pakistan’s midfielder Mohammad Tousiq Arshad said. “Both sets of supporters desperately want their team to win this match. As players we should relax on the pitch, but sometimes we get carried away.”

Pakistan coach Roelant Oltmans believes each side only thinks about the outcome of their match and totally forgets the process. “Emotion [at times] overrides structures and strategies,” Oltmans, also a Dutch, said.

Last time Pakistan and India met in a Commonwealth Games match was at the 2010 Delhi Games where the hosts won the battle 7-4. Overall, their one-on-one Commonwealth Games record stands at 1-1 as Pakistan had the last laugh at the 2006 Melbourne Games.

The two teams squared off most recently at the 2017 Asia Cup in Bangladesh where India claimed the honours.

On Thursday, Scotland upset South Africa 4-2.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2018