"Naturally there will be emotions running high when we play against Pakistan" - Indian Hockey Team captain Harmanpreet Singh
India is all set to host the upcoming edition of the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai. This is the first time India will be hosting the Asian Champions Trophy.
India will be desperate to put up a show for the home crowd and lift the trophy for the fourth time. Pakistan, who are also aiming for their fourth title, will have a tough challenge ahead as they will have to beat the arch-rivals India in their home.
India and Pakistan are two of the three teams to participate in all six editions of the Asian Champions Trophy. The arch-rivals have dominated the tournament right from 2011 to 2018. The first five editions of the tournament were won by either India or Pakistan.
However, things changed in 2021, when both teams failed to make it to the final for the first time. India then defeated Pakistan to finish third in the tournament. Both teams will look to bounce back to winning ways in Chennai.
Talking about the high-octane clash, Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh said that there would be emotions amongst the crowd, but the players would approach it as just another match.
"Understandably, there is a lot of excitement around the India-Pakistan matches, be it in cricket or in hockey. Naturally, there will be emotions running high when we play against Pakistan. But, for us, it's just another game, and we will go into the match with just one focus to win the game," the Indian captain said.
International hockey returns to Chennai after 16 years
The Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Egmore, Chennai is all set to host their first-ever international tournament in 16 years. Chennai last hosted the 2007 Asia Cup. India lifted the trophy by beating South Korea in the final.
Talking about playing in India, the captain Harmanpreet Singh said that Chennai has been a special venue for the team.
"Chennai has been a special venue for the Indian team. In 2007, the team won the Asia Cup. We are eager to play in front of the spectators here and look forward to high-octane matches," Harmanpreet Singh concluded.
India will kick off their campaign against China on 3rd August at 8 PM IST. The matches will be telecasted on Star Sports Network and will have live-streaming on Fancode.