Former Pakistan hockey legend Hassan Sardar believes hosts India, Belgium, Netherlands and Australia are the strong contenders to lift the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023.
New Delhi: One of the Pakistan’s centre forward of yesteryears, Hassan Sardar believes hosts India, Belgium, Netherlands and Australia are the strong contenders to lift the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 which begins on January 13.
The FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup gets underway in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela from Friday. India are pitted in group D along with England, Spain and Wales. Sardar believes Harmanpreet Singh’s India are capable of winning medals at the top level.
“I had said before the Tokyo Olympics that this Indian team is capable of winning medals at the highest level. They won bronze but there is hardly any major difference in top 4 teams in world hockey now,” Sardar told PTI Bhasha in an exclusive interview from Pakistan.
“This Indian team is way more focussed and matured. Add to it, they have an added advantage playing at home ground. I have seen a hockey tournament in Odisha and would like to congratulate state CM Naveen Patnaik for promoting hockey in a big way,” said the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic gold medallist.
India’s only World Cup title came in 1975 under the leadership of Ajit Pal Singh. Since then, India have never been to World Cup semifinals. India’s recent success came in the Tokyo Olympics when they won bronze.
Sardar opined that India have become strong in penalty corner conversions and the forward line is capable of scoring . “Goal-scoring is the most important thing and this Indian team is capable of that. They have a strong drag-flicker like Harmanpreet Singh and their forward line is capable of scoring goals,” said Sardar.
Sardar was a threat to the hockey teams in late ’70s and early ’80s and scored 11 goals during the 1982 World Cup in Mumbai. He also scored a hattrick in Pakistan’s famous win over India in 1982 Asian Games final in New Delhi. Pakistan could not qualify in 2023 World Cup.