India face Pakistan in World Cup opener

Arch-rivals India and Pakistan will face off on the opening day of field hockey’s World Cup next year, according to the schedule announced by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) yesterday.

India and Pakistan have been drawn together in pool B alongside Australia, Spain, England and South Africa in the 12-nation tournament to be played in New Delhi from February 28 to March 13.

In other Pool B matches on the first day, South Africa lock horns with Spain and Australia take on England, the FIH said in a press release.

Olympic and World champions Germany will open their defence of the title on March 1 against South Korea.

Germany head pool A, which includes the Netherlands, South Korea, New Zealand, Canada and Argentina.

Two teams from each pool will advance to the semi-finals on March 11 and the final is slated for March 13.

Pool A: Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, New Zealand, Canada, Argentina.

Pool B: Australia, Spain, England, Pakistan, India, South Africa.

Schedule:

February 28: South Africa v Spain, Australia v England, Pakistan v India; March 1: New Zealand v Canada, Germany v South Korea, Netherlands v Argentina; March 2: South Africa v England, Pakistan v Spain, India v Australia; March 3: Canada v Germany, Argentina v South Korea, New Zealand v Netherlands; March 4: South Africa v Australia, England v Pakistan, Spain v India; March 5: South Korea v New Zealand, Netherlands v Canada, Germany v Argentina; March 6: Australia v Spain, South Africa v Pakistan, England v India; March 7: South Korea v Canada, New Zealand v Argentina, Germany v Netherlands; March 8: Spain v England, Australia v Pakistan, South Africa v India; March 9: Germany v New Zealand, Netherlands v South Korea, Canada v Argentina; March 10: Rest Day; March 11: Clas.11-12 6th Pool A v 6th Pool B, Semi-final 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B, Semi-final 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A; March 12: Clas. 9-10 5th Pool A v 5th Pool B, Clas. 7-8 4th Pool A v 4th Pool B, Clas. 5-6 3rd Pool A v 3rd Pool B; March 13: Bronze medal match, Final.

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on Dec 30 2009. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry