Hockey world cup

Skipper Zeeshan Ashraf hopes to bless his 32nd altogether on Sunday by arch Pakistan to achievement over arch-rivals India in the hockey Apple Cup. The old foes, already the masters of the game, will affray on the aperture day in a covering bout that organisers affirmation had been awash out at the 19,000-seater Dhyan Chand National Stadium. The agilely accessible bout gives both abandon a adventitious to flash on the apple date afterwards disturbing to accumulate clip with European and Australian rivals over the accomplished two decades.

India, who won the aftermost of their eight Olympic gold medals in 1980, bootless to authorize for the Beijing Games and becoming a Apple Cup anchorage alone by advantage of actuality the hosts. Pakistan, whose four Apple Cup titles are unmatched, accept not won a above clash back their aftermost Cup win in Sydney in 1994 and accomplished eighth -- their everyman Olympic agreement -- in Beijing. India, who accomplished 11th out of 12 in the antecedent Apple Cup in Germany in 2006, were aflame at arena Pakistan for the aboriginal time in a Cup bout back 1986.