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The Indian senior men’s hockey team have been placed in a relatively easy group in the ninth edition of the Asia Cup hockey tournament, which is slated to be held at Ipoh, Malaysia from August 24 to September 1.
India are clubbed in Pool B alongside defending champions and world number eight Korea, 36th ranked Oman and 40th ranked Bangladesh. Hosts Malaysia, ranked 13 in the world, are placed in Pool A alongside former champions and world number five Pakistan, 16th ranked Japan and 49th ranked Chinese Taipei.
The nine-day tournament would be played on the blue turf of the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh. It may be worth recalling that Ipoh had recently hosted the 22nd Sultan Azlan Shah Cup tournament, where hosts Malaysia lost to Australia 2-3 in the summit clash.
India would be looking to obliterate the memories of their disappointing performance in the last edition of the Asia Cup held also in Malaysia (Kuantan) in 2009, where they failed to achieve a podium finish.
The blueshirts had to settle for the fifth spot among seven participating teams, after beating Japan 5-1.
It is significant to mention that India even played the classification match for the sixth-seventh place when they drubbed Bangladesh 11-1.
India paid a heavy price for sloppy display in the league phase. They lost to arch-rivals Pakistan 2-3 and drew 2-2 with China.
Korea won the crown, pipping Pakistan 1-0, with China edging out Malaysia 7-6 on penalty strokes to take the third spot.
Pakistan and Korea have won the Asia Cup three times respectively. India have won it twice at Kuala Lumpur in 2003 and at Chennai in 2007.
The inaugural edition of the men’s Asia Cup was held in Karachi, Pakistan in 1982. Hosts Pakistan trounced India 4-0 in the final.
In fact, India and Pakistan have featured in four Asia Cup finals. Pakistan pipped India 3-2 in the second edition in 1985 at Dhaka and before vanquishing their arch-rivals 2-0 in the third edition at New Delhi in 1989.
The only time India defeated Pakistan in an Asia Cup final was the 2003 edition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where the men in blue whipped the Greenshirts 4-2.
India have finished runners-up on most occasions – four times.
India, however, holds the record for the biggest victory margin in an Asia Cup final. At the 2007 edition in Chennai, India routed Korea 7-2.
It was a match marred by controversy when the Korean coach took his players off the pitch after the umpire disallowed a goal. Replays clearly showed that the Korean player hit the ball from outside the striking circle.
The ‘Singhs’ had their day under the sun – Prabhjot Singh and Rajpal Singh scoring a brace while Shivendra Singh, SV Sunil and Ignace Tirkey sounding the board once.
The 9th Asia Cup would be Indian men’s team’s second assignment after the Hockey World League semifinals in Rotterdam.
