Pakistan face England in FIH World Cup opener

Pakistan will launch their FIH Men’s World Cup campaign against England on Saturday with a young Green-shirts side eager to make a strong impression after an eight-year absence from the global showpiece. The Pool D opener at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands, is scheduled to begin at 10pm PST. Pakistan team manager Muhammad Awais Qarni said the players were fit, excited and ready for the challenge. “Yes, the boys are fit and very excited,” Awais told The Express Tribune from Amstelveen on Friday. “It’s a young team and barring Ammad Shakeel Butt and skipper Abu Bakar, the rest of the players are set to play their first World Cup.” Pakistan have used their preparations in the Netherlands to expose the squad to different conditions. They played warm-up matches against South Africa and Japan, losing 3-1 to the former before securing a 2-1 victory over Japan. “The matches were good and the boys were exposed to different situations. It’s part of the plans,” Awais said. The weather has also been a talking point, with temperatures in the Netherlands climbing above 34 degrees Celsius. However, conditions are expected to become a bit pleasant in coming days. Pakistan, who are staying at the official FIH hotel near Amstelveen airport, will face a demanding Pool D campaign. India and Wales are the other teams in the group with Pakistan having recently suffered defeats against England and India in the FIH Pro League. The tournament is being jointly hosted by Wavre, Belgium, and Amstelveen, Netherlands, from August 15 to 30. A new crossover-pool format has replaced the traditional quarter-finals, with teams moving into Pools E to H after the opening stage. Pakistan are record four-time world champions, having lifted the title in 1971, 1978, 1982 and 1994. Germany enter the tournament as defending champions, while Australia, the Netherlands and Germany have each won the trophy three times. With a largely inexperienced squad, Pakistan will hope their returning veterans can provide the composure needed for a demanding opening test against England.