Hockey World Cup opens with Z+++ security

NEW DELHI: The hockey World Cup returns to India after 28 years and India takes on Pakistan at 8.35 on Sunday night amid fervent hopes the game – and the national team – will be resurrected.

Security is so tight that for the expected capacity crowd of 16,000 spectators, nearly half as many of the people outside will be securitymen. There will be 5,000 policemen, 100 commandos and 1,000 paramilitary forces around the stadium.

But that’s not to take away from the action on the Poligras pitch on Day 1. Ahead of the India-Pakistan tie, Australia takes on England (6.35pm) in what promises to be a display of cerebral hockey, as opposed to the adrenaline-charged game of sub-continental rivalry.

The spanking new Dhyan Chand National stadium in the Capital is ready for the 12-team event – if you ignore the construction activity that continues at the periphery.

Leandro Negre, president of FIH, hockey’s world body, had a taste of the exceptionally high level of security at the stadium on Saturday. Negre was stopped at the gates by securitymen and had a difficult time convincing them of his credentials.

But the hockey chief gave the securitymen the thumbs-up: “We in the FIH are equally helpless as the Pune terror attack has worsened the situation. We have the responsibility of convincing the hockey family that everything is alright. So, when certain measures are spelt out to ensure their safety, we have to follow what the police say.”

But Negre admitted he was disappointed by the media boycott of a news conference here on Saturday. He said, “We apologize for what happened. We have been working towards making things easy for them and in the next few days, we assure you everything will be okay.”

As for the India-Pakistan match, the fans will have their own questions to ask: Will Sandeep Singh choose the stage to say his lines or will it be left to the collective guile of Prabhjot, Rajpal and Shivendra? Will it be a dragflickers’ show, cornered by the 35-year-old veteran of 280 matches Sohail Abbas, or will he be thwarted yet again by his bogey, goalkeeper Adrian D’Souza? Will it be Rehan Butt’s day yet again as in their last encounter in Salta, Argentina in the Champions Challenge semifinal?

The match will also have tense, nailbiting moments for coach Jose Brasa who faces his first big test. The Spaniard took charge last year and is said to have transformed the team into a fighting unit. Will his ideas finally help India solve the Pakistan puzzle?

In any case, Sunday will set the stage for a fortnight of rivetting action.