Pakistan hockey great Samiullah Khan has urged his country to deny India an early foothold when the arch-rivals meet in a crucial FIH World Cup pool clash on Wednesday, identifying penalty-corner defence as one of the keys to Pakistan keeping their campaign alive. The equation leaves little room for error for Pakistan. They need a victory to remain in contention, while India can secure progression to the next round with a draw. Against that backdrop, Samiullah believes Pakistan’s first task must be to withstand India’s early pressure and prevent their opponents from earning set-piece opportunities.
“I would advise Pakistan captain to keep a compact defence and not concede any penalty corners to India in the first quarter,” Samiullah told PTI.
The former Pakistan international, nicknamed the ‘Flying Horse’ during his playing days for his speed, also wants the side to be more positive when they regain possession rather than inviting pressure by repeatedly recycling the ball backwards. “My suggestion to the midfielders is to advance towards the goal instead of passing backwards. The forwards will have to score through diagonal and interchange passes,” he said.
‘They know how important this match is’
Pakistan arrive at the contest with a largely young group, but Samiullah does not believe a lack of experience should become an excuse in a fixture carrying enormous pressure. “They recently played India in the Pro League and gave a tough fight. Each of these players has played more than 50 matches. They know how important this match is,” he said.
Beyond the immediate battle, Samiullah pointed towards India’s rise over the past decade as an example of what Pakistan need to replicate. He credited India with building greater depth and strengthening key areas of their game through sustained planning. “India improved its system, expanded its player pool, improved penalty corners and deep defence, and its players are now earning well. In Pakistan, our federations lack long-term vision and set small goals,” Samiullah said.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist also reflected on how dramatically the India-Pakistan rivalry has changed from its peak years. “Earlier, India and Pakistan would play Olympic and Asian Games finals, and there would be huge hype. In 1978 and 1982, 20,000 to 35,000 spectators would watch us,” he said.
Samiullah believes both nations must rediscover the flair that once defined Asian hockey. “Europeans made hockey like football and eliminated skill. But teams like Belgium and Germany are now showing skills inside the circle. India and Pakistan also need to bring back dribbling and artistic hockey to revive the charm of old rivalry,” he said.
Recalling Pakistan’s famous 7-1 victory over India at the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi, Samiullah admitted even that landmark result was eventually overshadowed. “We thought this record would never be broken, but Pakistan lost to India 10-2 at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games,” he said.
