&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Pakistan matches are no longer tough’: Sreejesh downplays rivalry ahead of Hockey World Cup clash")
Indian men’s hockey veteran and ace goalie, PR Sreejesh, feels the upcoming contest between India and Pakistan at the FIH Hockey World Cup will lack zeal, only because Pakistan hasn’t been the opposition it used to be, with the Men in Blue miles ahead. While the two-time reigning Olympic bronze medalists India have taken significant strides in fitness, strength, game awareness and decision-making, Pakistan has lagged in these aspects. Sreejesh said that unlike old times, when restricting Pakistan from scoring late was a regular challenge for India, the current squad would tear through their defence for fun.
“Matches against Pakistan are not as tough as they used to be. Conceding goals in the last quarter or final minutes used to be a problem for us, but that is no longer the case. Now, we are the ones scoring late to win matches,” Sreejesh said on JioHotstar ahead of the India-Pakistan Hockey World Cup match on Wednesday (Aug 19).
“Earlier, during the 35-minute halves, we used to make mistakes due to fitness or poor decision-making and let in goals. But since the four-quarter system came in, and even before that, we made big improvements in our fitness, strength, game awareness, and decision-making,” the former Indian captain continued.
“The Indian men’s hockey team has been playing a new formation for the past year and a half. That formation mostly forces us into defence, but in the recent Pro League, we pushed up and pressed hard in many matches,” Sreejesh noted India’s formation and style of play at the World Cup.
High Demand at Amstelveen
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India-Pakistan matches across sports garner unparalleled attention, and this occasion is no different. The Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen, which has a seating capacity of 10,000, will be packed for this high-octane clash. The latest reports suggest that the tickets for this match were sold in phases last year.
“Tickets were sold online from September 2025. We have sold them in phases, with the first phase in September and the next one in March this year,” Tamara Bouwmans, communication officer of the Royal Dutch Hockey Association (KNHB), told PTI.
