‘Indo-Pak rivalry losing charm’

An India-Pakistan hockey clash meant an emotional roller-coaster and adrenaline rush once upon a time. But former players feel the charm has faded with the dwindling standard of the game in both the nations. The two sides will face off in a World Cup match for the first time since 1986 this Sunday and though the anticipation is there, former players say it’s nothing compared to the fan frenzy they were witness to in their playing days.

“In our time, an India-Pakistan hockey match was full of emotions. It was a matter of prestige for both the countries and there was intense public pressure on the players. We used to consider it as the most important game of our career and so we had to give our best,” Aslam Sher Khan, a member of the 1975 World Cup-winning team, said.

Foreign players happy with security arrangements

The security measures put in place for the hockey World Cup today got a thumbs up from foreign players who feel the safety arrangements made for the quadrennial event are equivalent to that of Olympic Games. The run-up to the World Cup, which starts on Sunday, has been marred by security concerns after a militant group issued a terror threat against foreign players visiting India. It even forced a New Zealand striker Simon Child to pull out of the tournament at the last minute.

However, veteran Dutch goalkeeper Guus Vogles, who has two Olympic gold to his credit, said he was extremely satisfied with the security arrangements here. — PTI