Their World Cup berth all but secured, a confident India will be keen to book a direct ticket to next year’s mega-event by winning the ongoing 9th Asia Cup hockey tournament when they clash with defending champions South Korea, here on Sunday.
Both India and Malaysia have virtually qualified for the World Cup to be held at The Hague in Holland after South Korea shut the door on Pakistan with a narrow 2-1 win in the first semi-final.
Pakistan, the four-time World Cup champions, will be missing the showpiece event for the first time since its inception in 1971.
Korea having already qualified for the World Cup, Pakistan’s passage to the quadrennial event was possible only by winning the Asia Cup. But their defeat has opened the door for India and Malaysia who will now just have to wait for the official confirmation from the International Hockey Federation after the conclusion of the Oceania Cup in November.
But the Sardar Singh-led Indians will be in no mood to wait till November.
Having finished a lowly a seventh in the last edition in 2009, redemption will also be in the minds of the Indians when they take on Korea on Sunday.
Two-time champions India last won the Asia Cup in 2007 on home soil when Chennai hosted the event.
And having defeated Korea 2-0 in the pool stage, the Indians will be brimming with confidence ahead of the summit clash.
India are unbeaten going into the final and they will look to keep their record intact. In the four matches played here, India have conceded just one goal and pumped in as many as 21 against their opponents.
Interestingly, India’s defence, considered as the perennial problem of the team, has been the unlikely hero in the tournament so far. The back line comprising V.R. Raghunath, Rupinderpal Singh, Kothajit Singh, Gurmail Singh and Birendra Lakra have stood like a wall and have gained confidence from the impressive form of the team’s vice captain and goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh behind them.