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What's the story?
As the 2018 Commonwealth Games shifts to Day 3 of the 13-day extravaganza, the stage is all set to host one of the biggest sporting rivalries of all time, when India take on arch-rivals Pakistan in the first clash of Group B as part of the men's hockey fixtures.
The two teams will lock horns after their recent outing in the Asia Cup, held in Bangladesh last year, where India clinched the game.The Men in Blue will start with the 'favorites' tag in the clash that is sure to boil down to a nail-biting finish.
In case you didn't know
The Indian team, under the tutelage of coach Sjoerd Marijne, are currently ranked 6th in the global rankings, have clashed against the 13th-ranked Pakistan team twice in the past, with a win apiece for both teams.
In 2006, Pakistan beat India 4-1, while India returned the favor, four years later, when they thrashed Pakistan 7-4 in Melbourne.
The heart of the matter
However, there have also been editions of the CWG, when the two teams have not clashed but have taken part in the event.
In 1998, India finished 4th, while Pakistan ended 10th and in 2002, Pakistan clinched the bronze medal amidst India's absence from the tournament.
In the 2014 Glasgow edition, India clinched the silver medal, while Pakistan did not compete. This time, the two teams will be looking to kick-start their campaigns with a win that is sure to give rise to a thrilling contest.
Along with Pakistan and India in Group B are England, Wales, and Malaysia which will push both the teams to get off to a strong start and gain an early advantage in the competition. On paper, India appears the stronger team with the likes of Manpreet Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh and Harmanpreet Singh in good form.
What's next?
India and Pakistan will aim to get their campaign off to a bright start with a win in their opening game which will take place at the Gold Coast Hockey Centre.
Author's take
With the high voltage clash set to decorate the third day of the games, one can expect a riveting clash between the arch-rivals.
