‘Rankings don’t matter’: Pakistan captain’s bold India warning ahead of WC clash
Pakistan hockey captain Abu Bakar Mahmood downplayed world rankings ahead of a high-stakes match against India. He emphasized that performance on the day of the match is the only factor that matters for the historic rivalry.
Why it matters
The India-Pakistan rivalry is one of the most significant in global sports, often carrying cultural and political weight beyond the field.
Pakistan may have endured a difficult run against India in recent years, but captain Abu Bakar Mahmood believes the numbers will count for little when the arch-rivals meet at the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup on August 19. With India ranked higher and coming off a 3-1 win over Wales, while Pakistan suffered a 1-4 defeat to England, Mahmood insists the rivalry will be decided by performance on the day.“I have no hesitation in accepting that the Indian team is much better than us in rankings, but in the India-Pakistan match, rankings don't matter. The performance on that day is important...
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in