Pakistan play Belgium for a place in last-eight

ISLAMABAD: The D-Day has finally arrived for the longstanding claims of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) officials that all their efforts, investment and hiring and firing were aimed at the 2018 World Cup.

The moment is finally here as Pakistan are set to play Belgium today (Tuesday) in the third cross-over match for a place in the quarter-finals. Regardless of the winless streak so far, a victory against Belgium will definitely augur well for Pakistan hockey.

Though even making the quarter-finals would be no achievement for the four-time world champions, at least it will make every hockey fan believe that the PHF officials were sincere in their claims and millions of rupees spent in the last three years were for hockey promotion.

With no victory to their credit, Pakistan’s performance has been below par in the World Cup so far — qualifying for the pre-quarters on goal difference was nothing less than a stroke of luck for a country that ruled the hockey world for years. Now the question arises whether Pakistan can raise the level of their game to a point where they can threaten Belgium. In such tournaments anything is possible. If a team like China — ranked outside the world’s top 20 — can make it to the pre-quarters, record four-time world champions Pakistan should trust their abilities to upstage Belgium.

Team’s confidence and good planning are key in such big events. Sadly, these elements were missing from the Greenshirts’ armory. The team never achieved that level of confidence that separates winners and losers. The players’ confidence was at the lowest point, especially against the Netherlands. It seems that no efforts were made by the PHF officials to help the players believe in their abilities. There is a need for Pakistan to raise the level of their game to a new height against Belgium.

The two sides have reached the pre-quarters in contrasting fashion. The Greenshirts advanced with only one point from three pool games, edging out Malaysia on goal difference. The Red Lions were unlucky not to qualify for the quarter-finals directly. Belgium won two matches and drew against India, who topped the pool because of a better goal difference.

Surprisingly, Pakistan and Belgium have played against each other just twice in World Cups with Pakistan winning on both occasions — 2-0 in 1973 and 3-2 in 2002.

Till only a few years back, Belgium were a non-entity on the international hockey circuit. A bad decision by the PHF helped Belgium gather their confidence for big occasions. Pakistan rejected International Hockey Federation’s offer of a wildcard to figure in the 2016 Champions Trophy in London. Belgium grabbed the opportunity with both hands and never looked back. Their mercurial rise in a short time is amazing.

Belgium’s best positions at the top international events have arrived in recent times. They finished runners-up in the 2016 Olympics.