NEW DELHI: Pakistan will begin their campaign in the hockey event of the 2018 Commonwealth Games by facing arch-rivals India in what is slated to be an exciting start to the competition.
The Commonwealth Games next year will be hosted by Gold Coast in Pakistan. Both teams have been placed in Pool B with the contest scheduled for April 7th.
As per the schedule released by International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Tuesday, also placed in Pool B are England, Malaysia and Wales. It poses an easy challenge and yet a tricky one for the thirteenth-ranked Pakistan team. Last edition’s bronze medalists and Euro Hockey Championships’ bronze medalists, England, could pose a real threat.
Pool A comprises of five-time champions and hosts Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and Scotland.
The Indian men’s team fixture list sees them take on Pakistan first (April 7) followed by Wales (April 8), Malaysia (April 10) and England (April 11). By the time Pakistan faces India, the latter would have already hit the ground running with the game against Wales.
The women’s team are placed in Pool A which consists of reigning silver medalists England, South Africa, Malaysia and Wales. The other group includes the defending champions Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Canada and Ghana.
In the men’s department, Australia will be the team to beat. In the five editions of the hockey event, all five have been won by Australia. Many teams – including the Asian Games gold medalists India – will be eager to end that run following a host of personnel changes this past year.
Two teams from each pool in men’s and women’s groups will move on directly for the semi-finals while the rest go into the classification matches.
Commonwealth Games begin on April 4 at Gold Coast with the sporting events beginning a day after.
