The Indian men's hockey team have picked up from where they left at the Asian Champions Trophy last month in Chennai, notching up three back-to-back Pool A wins at the ongoing Asian Games 2023. India began their campaign with a 16-0 drubbing of Uzbekistan and followed it up with a 16-1 thrashing of Singapore. On Thursday, India faced their toughest test at the competition yet against the 2018 Asian Games gold medallists Japan, and came out with a 4-2 win to keep their winning streak intact. Up next for the Men In Blue is a blockbuster encounter against arch-rivals Pakistan on Saturday, September 30. (Medal Tally | Schedule | Full Coverage | More Sports News)
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The India vs Pakistan hockey rivalry is one for the ages. India have been dominating the recent encounters between the two teams and will look to do the same at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Saturday.
Like India, Pakistan too are having a good run at the Games, having won all three matches they have played so far. Pakistan began their campaign with an 11-0 win over Singapore and then went on to record a 5-2 win against Bangladesh, followed by an 18-2 pasting to Uzbekistan.
Here are all the key details for the blockbuster India vs Pakistan men's hockey Pool A match to be played at the Asian Games 2023 on Saturday, September 30:
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When will the India vs Pakistan men's hockey match be played at the Asian Games 2023?
The India vs Pakistan match will be played at 6:15pm IST on September 30, 2023.
Where will the India vs Pakistan match be played at the Asian Games 2023?
The India vs Pakistan match will be played at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Stadium in Hangzhou, China.
Where can we watch the IND vs PAK match on TV?
The match will be broadcast on the Sony Sports Network. Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 1 HD, Sony Sports Ten 2, Sony Sports Ten 2 HD, Sony Sports Ten 3, Sony Sports Ten 3 HD, Sony Sports Ten 4, Sony Sports Ten 4 HD, Sony Sports Ten 5, and Sony Sports Ten 5 HD TV are the channels where you can catch all the action.
Where can we live stream the match?
The match will be live streamed on the SonyLiv app and website.
Speaking about the titanic clash against Pakistan, Indian men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh said the team has learned valuable lessons from their matches thus far in the tournament, which will come in handy against their neighbours.
"It has been a good start for us in the tournament so far, but the most important aspect so far is that with each opponent, we have learnt new things about our gameplay and about how we can improve our game. We have remained unbeaten, which gives us confidence going into our game against Pakistan that we are in good shape and rhythm, and now it is just about maintaining the momentum and implementing the lessons that we are learning every day," Harmanpreet said.
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Harmanpreet also spoke about the mood in the dressing room ahead of the all-important clash and said the team is eager to continue its winning run in Hangzhou.
"There is always excitement in the dressing room whenever there is a match against Pakistan. The fans are always the loudest and make their voices heard. Pakistan have a solid team that has been doing really well, so we know we also have to be at our best against them to get a win. We are motivated by the results so far and we are eager to maintain our winning streak in the tournament," he said.
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The two teams last met at the Asian Champions Trophy in August, where India produced a mesmerizing performance to beat Pakistan 4-0. Since 2013, India and Pakistan have faced each other in 24 matches, of which India have won a whopping 16. Pakistan have won just five matches, while three games ended in a draw.
Indian men's hockey team chief coach Craig Fulton said, "We have shown some tremendous progress in the first three games and we are happy with our performance. Of course, there are always some improvements that can be made, and it will be critical that we work on those ahead of the match against a strong team like Pakistan, which is also having a good tournament. We know what our goals are and are confident that we will achieve them on Saturday."
