It was a must-win encounter for India, and the team stepped up in style. Pakistan, for a while now, haven’t been a match for India, and the difference in quality was once again on show in the Netherlands.
As I watched, I kept going back to the days when Pakistan versus India was a signature clash. In fact, may I say that I grew up on India-Pakistan hockey. Pakistan were a force, and a win against them was an occasion to celebrate. Now, no more. India have won 18 of the last 20 encounters, with the other two drawn.
The hype is artificial and the celebration more of an afterthought. We need to somehow sustain the rivalry because it sells and offers an attractive headline. In real terms, Pakistan are in terminal decline, and there is no sign of it stopping.
For India, it was more of a mental challenge. After a poor second half against England, which cost them the match, the team needed to stage a comeback and beat Pakistan. It allowed them to make the next round, where things will get incredibly tough. But then, you don’t expect much else at a World Cup. You are allowed one bad game, and that’s now done. If you want to move on, you beat the best and make a statement.
Coming back to the Pakistan game, the best thing was the crowd. You could see the stands were full, and that says something about this rivalry. It still entices fans, and people still buy into the occasion. More than any other game, you want the team to beat Pakistan, and when that happens, you do feel good. It is all very political. The hype exists because of the political undertone attached to this rivalry.
From a sporting point of view, Pakistan are a poor team. They never stood a chance, and it was only a matter of time before India took control.
India played Pakistan twice in England last month in the Pro League. In the first game, things were close, and India eventually won 4-3. That’s when some words were exchanged, is what I have heard. The players were told that the effort wasn’t good enough and that more was expected of them against Pakistan. Put mildly, the message was conveyed that they needed to produce a stronger effort in the next game.
That’s what happened. India decimated Pakistan with goals galore, and the difference between the two sides was apparent.
At no point did I doubt India against Pakistan. What I was keen to see was how the boys recalibrated after the England loss. It seems they are back on track and will now have to peak in the next couple of days.
Pakistan, on the other hand, need to go back to the drawing board. They need to arrest the decline and put correctives in place. At the moment, they are miles behind India and, while the crowd is no index, suffice it to say that one-sided encounters will sooner rather than later catch up with the narrative.
It is all very cosmetic at the moment, for Pakistan are no longer a team that can push India.
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