Dhaka: Spirited Indian men’s hockey team following routing hosts Bangladesh 9-0 will play their joint reigning champions and arch-rivals Pakistan in the preliminary round match of the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy in Dhaka on Friday on 3:00 PM (IST).
Since rain ruined the final in Muscat, Oman, the hockey giants shared the title in the 2018 edition. After 2011, 2012, and 2016, it was set to be their fourth clash in the Asian Champions Trophy final.
Pakistan, despite their ongoing dip, is a hockey heavyweight capable of surprising any team on their day. They’ve also won the Asian Champions Trophy three times-the most recent one they share with India.
🇮🇳 🆚 🇵🇰
The most awaited matchday is here 😍
India take on the arch-rivals in the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Dhaka 2021 🏆#IndiaKaGame #HeroACT2021 pic.twitter.com/Vdd7D8bCsG
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) December 17, 2021
Both sides drew their respective Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2021 campaigns to a tie. While India drew 2-2 with South Korea in their first match, Pakistan was kept scoreless by Japan in their opening match on Tuesday.
However, the bronze medalists from the Tokyo Olympics thrashed Bangladesh 9-0 in their second round-robin match on Wednesday.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Since competing against each other for the first time as independent nations in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics final, India and Pakistan have met 175 times. Although India won the gold medal match 1-0, Pakistan has the better head-to-head record. Pakistan still leads the head-to-head record, 82-62, despite India’s recent dominance in the rivalry.
In the Asian Champions Trophy, India lead 4-2 in eight meetings.
TELECAST AND LIVE STREAMING
The Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2021 clash between India and Pakistan will be broadcast live on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports Select 2, Star Sports Select 2 HD, and DD Sports TV stations in India.
The Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2021 match between India and Pakistan will be live broadcast on Disney+ Hotstar.
On the watch.hockey app, the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2021 tournament will be streamed live.
SQUADS
India: Goalkeepers – Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Suraj Karkera; Defenders – Harmanpreet Singh, Gurinder Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Dipsan Tirkey, Varun Kumar, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Mandeep Mor; Midfielders – Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Jaskaran Singh, Sumit, Rajkumar Pal, Akashdeep Singh, Shamsher Singh; Forwards – Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Dilpreet Singh, Gursahibjit Singh, Shilanand Lakra.
Head Coach: Graham Reid.
Pakistan: Goalkeepers – Waqar, Abdullah Ishtiaq; Defenders – Mubashir Ali, Ammad Shakeel Butt, Tazeem ul Hassan, Muhammad Abdullah, Aqeel Ahmed; Midfielders – Abu Bakar Mahmood, Moin Shakeel, Hamad-ud-Din Anjum, Ghazanfar Ali, Azfar Yaqoob; Forwards – Mohammad Umar Bhatta, Ali Shan, Ejaz Ahmed, Rana Waheed, Junaid Manzoor, Afraz, Ahmed Nadeem, Mohammad Salman Razzaq.
Head Coach: Khawaja Junaid.
