The wide canvass of Azlan Shah played perfect stage for field hockey’s two of the spectacular teams, India and Pakistan, to showcase their ware to the public.

They have met so far 12 times, 11 of them produced outright results, the only exception being when they met first time ever in this genre of competition.

It was a 1-1 draw in 1983, thanks to Md. Shahid’s late equlizer.

Next two encounters proved nectar for India, as it not only won their arch rivals but also won the Cup itself.

In 1985 and 1991, the encounters hardly produced many goals — lone goal was the winner — and it was not wholly unexpected as this was the era of off-side, clumsy rules and regulations, which all combined to prevent goals.

Midfield marvel Hardeep Singh posted the winner in 1985 while the lone goal of 1991 went in the name of Mukesh Kumar.

After that, Azlan Shah event was not regularly held, even if so either of the side was not in the line up, sometimes on different pool.

It so happened that it took another long spell for India — exactly 17 years — to mark another victory over Pakistan.

Captain Sardar and coach AK Bansal — the same combination that set the Hockey India League on fire recently — broke the jinx.

A goal each from Diwakarram and Sandeep Singh led India to 2-1 victory.

Before that India lost to Pakistan four times continuously (2000, 2001, 2004, 2005) though the margin of victory is just a lone goal.

The 2008 victory was followed by 2-1 win by coach Harendra’s boys and then 4-2 by Spaniard Brasa’s squad before Pakistan extracted a win in 2011.

At that point of time, the record stood even with 5 wins for each team.

India went one step ahead, posted its sixth win last year.