Rankings, past performances don't matter in Ind-Pak match: Pak hockey captain Abu Bakar

The Pakistan hockey team has failed to beat India for more than a decade, but captain Abu Bakar Mahmood is confident of ending that streak at the FIH World Cup, insisting that when arch-rivals meet, rankings matter little and it is the team that performs better on the day that prevails.

India will face Pakistan in the FIH World Cup on August 19. India defeated Wales 3-1 in the opening match, while England thrashed Pakistan 4-1 in another pool D match.

"I have no hesitation in accepting that the Indian team is much better than us in rankings, but in the India-Pakistan match, rankings don't matter. The performance on that day is important... It will only be decided on the day of the match which team is playing well and will win," Mahmood told PTI ahead of the marquee clash.

The Pakistan senior men's hockey team last defeated India 4-3 in the Champions Trophy in London in June 2016. India recently defeated Pakistan 4-3 and 7-1 in the London leg of the FIH Pro League.

"India is the only Asian team to have won medals in two consecutive Olympics. This is a good thing for Asian hockey, and we wish them all the best for the World Cup, but we have also come fully prepared this time," said Mahmood, who was given the reins of the team after a disappointing Pro League performance.

Pakistan is returning to the World Cup after eight years, but prior to that, it had lost all its matches in the Pro League, finishing ninth and last. The Pakistani captain said that their goal in the Pro League was not to win the title, but to learn, and the World Cup will reflect what they have learned.

Just before the team’s departure for the World Cup, Pakistan’s Dutch head coach Herman Kruis returned home, with goalkeeping coach Bob-Johan Veldhof taking charge of the team.

Asked about the impact it has had on the team, Mahmood said: "Coach Adnan Zakir, Bob, and the support staff have worked very hard over the past month. This has had a positive impact on the team, and the results are showing. We have to surprise and perform well every day. Our goal is the Asian Games, but we would like to reach the last eight in the World Cup," he said.

"The World Cup and Olympics are the biggest tournaments in hockey, and if you don't play these two tournaments, you're not participating in world hockey. It's either our good fortune or hard work that we're playing in the World Cup again after eight years,"said the 28-year-old, who idolises legendary drag-flicker Sohail Abbas.

"Before the Pro League, we were ranked 14th in the world, and now we're 12th. We played against the world's top teams in the Pro League and learned a lot. After the first two stages of the Pro League, we played the World Cup Qualifiers and by reaching the final qualified for the World Cup," said the captain.

"We also tried a few new things in the last two stages. We went to the Pro League to learn, not to win the title, as we hadn't played good matches against big teams in a while. Now, our performance in the World Cup will reflect how much we have learned," he added.

Pakistan were defeated 1-4 by England in the final of the World Cup Qualifiers.

Mahmood and former captain Ammad Butt are the only two players in the Pakistani team who have played in the 2018 World Cup, but the captain said he is ready to face the challenge of managing this young side.

"The core group of this Pakistan team has remained the same for the last two or three years, with one or two players coming in and out. There are four or five players who are on the verge of 100th cap. There's no lack of experience. Two boys will be playing in the World Cup for the first time, but their talent has led to their selection by foreign coaches," he added.

He takes captaincy as a challenge and is eager to share his experience with the young players.

"I have a responsibility, but I enjoy challenges and hope the tournament will be a good one for me and my team. I was 19 years old and the youngest player in the 2018 World Cup in India. I learned a lot, which I still remember. I want to share what I learned from our senior players and Olympians with the young players in my team," he said.

Mahmood also said that he wants to carry forward Pakistan's legacy as the most successful team in the World Cup, having won four titles.

"We want to continue that legacy so that Pakistan retains this record. Every player wants to see their team at the top."