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After having missed the 2014 World Cup berth at the Hockey World League Round 3 event in Rotterdam, the Indian senior men’s hockey team will have one final opportunity to make it to the marquee event as they feature in the 9th Asia Cup hockey tournament, which is slated to be held at Ipoh, Malaysia from August 24 to September 1.
The Indians, of course, have no option but to go all out in pursuit of winning the Asia Cup as only the winner seals a 2014 World Cup berth.
It may be pertinent to mention that India had a forgettable experience in the 8th Asia Cup held in Kuantan, Malaysia in 2009, where they finished outside the top-four for the first time ever. The Blueshirts had settled for the fifth spot after spanking Japan 5-1 in a play-off match.
However, India can take heart from the 2007 edition where they won the crown in their own backyard in Chennai. India had trounced Korea 7-2 in a lop-sided final.
It was a match marred by controversy when the Korean coach took his players off the pitch after the umpire disallowed a goal. Replays clearly showed that the Korean player hit the ball from outside the striking circle.
The ‘Singhs’ had their day under the sun – Prabhjot Singh and Rajpal Singh scoring a brace while Shivendra Singh, SV Sunil and Ignace Tirkey sounding the board once.
At the 9th Asia Cup, India are clubbed in Pool B alongside defending champions and world number eight Korea, 36th ranked Oman and 40th ranked Bangladesh.
Hosts Malaysia, ranked 13 in the world, are placed in Pool A alongside former champions and world number five Pakistan, 16th ranked Japan and 49th ranked Chinese Taipei.
The nine-day tournament would be played on the blue turf of the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh.
Korea had won the last edition, pipping Pakistan 1-0, with China edging out Malaysia 7-6 on penalty strokes to take the third spot.
Pakistan and Korea have won the Asia Cup three times respectively. India have won it twice at Kuala Lumpur in 2003 and at Chennai in 2007.
The inaugural edition of the men’s Asia Cup was held in Karachi, Pakistan in 1982. Hosts Pakistan had trounced India 4-0 in the final.
In fact, India and Pakistan have featured in four Asia Cup finals. Pakistan pipped India 3-2 in the second edition in 1985 at Dhaka and before vanquishing their arch-rivals 2-0 in the third edition at New Delhi in 1989.
The only time India defeated Pakistan in an Asia Cup final was the 2003 edition in Kuala Lumpur, where the men in blue whipped the Greenshirts 4-2.
India have finished runners-up on most occasions – four times.
