India has special connections with South Africa

Prabhjot Singh

Tribune News Service

India has strong hockey bonds with South Africa. It is perhaps the only team other than the home team to have their playing kit and hockey sticks imported from India. But this will not wean any competitiveness expected of a World Cup match that the two teams are to play against each other on Monday. It will be their last pool B encounter.

Interestingly, both South Africa and India have beaten Pakistan for their only win of the tournament. Still South Africa is at the bottom of the table because of its 0-12 defeat at the hands of Australia. Playing in their fourth World Cup, South Africa does not have an impressive record behind them. They lost 1-0 to India to finish last in the 2006 World Cup.

Earlier in their pool match in the same tournament, they had held India to a draw. In 2002, they had finished 13th in a field of 16 while in 1994, when they made their debut in World Cup, they ended at 10th position. But their most sensational win has been against Pakistan yesterday.

South Africans after suffering world cup’s biggest ever drubbing at the hands of Australia are keen to repair the damage to their reputation and may give India a tough time in a day of inconsequential matches as far as the qualifiers for semifinals are concerned.

Both England and Australia are through. Even if Australia loses to Pakistan and Spain beats England in Mondays’ matches, Australia will sail through because of the huge goal difference it has tactfully and strategically built in the game against South Africa.

Australia’s record against Pakistan is mixed though the last time they played each other, Australia ran a convincing 3-0 victor at Monchengladbach. In 1998 also Australia were winners (3-1) but in 1994 in Sydney, Pakistan had beaten them 2-1. In 1990 Lahore world Cup also, Pakistan had beaten Australia 2-1.In the 1971 World Cup; Pakistan had trounced Australia 5-2.

A win for Pakistan may, however, boost their chances of finishing at number four position in pool B below Spain. But that looks quiet improbable as India also expects to win its last game against South Africa. Even if India beats South Africa by a couple of goals and Spain loses to England, the home team will still have to content with number four position thus making it eligible to play for seventh position but out of consideration for a possible Champions Trophy berth.

Leave aside these academic or statistical exercises, the tournament will be remembered for more than one reasons. Two-match ban for Shivendra Singh, introduction of video referrals, South Africa’s shock win over Pakistan, emergence of penalty strikers Taeke Taekema (the Netherlands) and Luke Doerner (Australia) as top scorers and Australia’s landslide 12-0 win over South Africa are some of the salient features of this edition.