New Delhi:
Hockey fans are in for a Diwali bonanza as arch rivals India and Pakistan battle it out for the coveted Asian Champions trophy title in the Grand Finale of tournament to be played on Sunday evening in Kuantan, Malaysian. The hockey fans of the sub-continent region are in for a mouthwatering clash as both the teams have been in sublime form all through the tournament..
ASIAN MENS CHAMPIONS TROPHY - GRAND FINALE
Teams: India and Pakistan
Match Timings: 6:00 pm (IST)
Official Broadcaster: Star Sports 4 and Star Sports HD4.
India edged past a formidable Korean side (5-4) in a thrilling penalty shootout on Saturdayto book their place in the finals.Meanwhile defending champions Pakistan reached the finals in a similar fashion by beating host Malaysia (2-1) in their penalty shootout.
India goes into the finals as hot favorites considering their brilliant goal scoring form which leapfrogged them to top of the league standings.India would also go into the title clash with a sense of confidence as they had beaten their traditional rivals 2-1 in the round robin stages early in the encounter.
Meanwhile their final opponent Pakistan who are a major force in Asian hockey in the league encounters shall look to defend their title.
The Indo-Pak clashes in any sport are considered to be the ‘Mother of all sporting clashes’ considering the passion and fervor it generates among the sporting fanatics of the country. The results on the cricket field or the hockey turf have a bearing on the national mood of the country.Each win lifts up morale of the citizens with a sense of national pride whereas each defeat inflicts a huge degree of pain and anguish among the die hard fans.
So millions across the subcontinent would be glued onto their television sets as the ‘Blue Shirts’ take on the ‘Green and Whites’ in what could turn out to be an epic clash.
