AMSTELVEEN: Pakistan assistant coach Adnan Zaker says the national team will enter its crucial Hockey World Cup 2026 encounter against India without pressure, insisting that the Green Shirts have “nothing to lose” when the two traditional rivals meet on Wednesday.
Pakistan will face India on August 19 at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands, with both teams looking to secure progress to the next stage of the tournament.
The highly anticipated fixture is expected to attract significant attention given the historic rivalry between the two sides and the importance of the match in the tournament.
Pakistan Believe Pressure Will Be on India
Speaking to Geo News, assistant coach Adnan Zaker acknowledged the considerable investment India has made in hockey in recent years.
He pointed out that India currently have a large coaching setup, with a 14-member coaching staff, while Pakistan are still in the process of rebuilding and strengthening their hockey programme.
“India have made a significant investment in their hockey, while we still need time,” Zaker said.
Despite the difference in resources, he insisted that the contest would be evenly balanced once the two teams stepped onto the field.
“The match against India will be 50-50. We have nothing to lose. The pressure will be on India,” he said.
Zaker’s comments reflect Pakistan’s approach to the encounter, with the team aiming to focus on its own performance rather than the pressure traditionally associated with an India-Pakistan sporting contest.
Captain Abu Bakar Wants to Learn From Past Matches
Pakistan captain Abu Bakar said the national team had already played India twice in the Pro League.
Those previous encounters, he said, provided valuable lessons that Pakistan could use when preparing for the World Cup match.
The captain acknowledged that the team had made mistakes in those games but expressed hope that the players would learn from them and deliver an improved performance in the much bigger World Cup contest.
With qualification at stake, Pakistan will need to maintain discipline and make the most of its opportunities against a strong Indian side.
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Rana Waheed Confident of Beating India
Pakistan striker Rana Waheed also expressed confidence ahead of the encounter.
He acknowledged that Pakistan had missed an opportunity in their match against Wales, saying the team believed it should have won that game.
“It is true that we should have won against Wales, but that did not happen. However, we believe we can beat India,” Waheed said.
His comments underline the team’s determination to put the disappointment of the Wales match behind them and focus on the challenge ahead.
A strong result against India could provide Pakistan with an important boost, both in terms of qualification and confidence.
Coach Expects a Difficult Encounter
Pakistan head coach Bob John Vald-Felt described India as a strong opponent but said his team was prepared for the challenge.
He acknowledged the significance of the fixture and suggested that defeating India while securing qualification would represent a major achievement for Pakistan.
“If we beat India in the World Cup and qualify for the next stage, it will certainly be a very big victory,” he said.
India-Pakistan Rivalry Adds to the Stakes
Matches between Pakistan and India traditionally carry significance beyond the sporting contest, and the World Cup encounter is no exception.
However, with both teams competing for advancement in the tournament, the result will have direct sporting consequences as well.
Pakistan will be looking to combine the experience gained from its earlier meetings with India with the confidence of its current squad.
For the Green Shirts, the objective is clear: remain composed, execute their plans effectively and take advantage of their opportunities.
With the two sides set to meet at the Wagener Hockey Stadium on Wednesday, Pakistan’s coaching staff and players believe the absence of pressure could work in their favour as they attempt to overcome India and keep their Hockey World Cup 2026 campaign alive.
