ISLAMABAD: The much-awaited India vs Pakistan match will be played on September 14 as part of the Asian Champions Trophy 2024 hockey tournament that started on Sunday with six continental heavyweights going head-to-head at the Moqi Training Base in Hulunbuir, China.

The six nations participating in the Asian Champion Trophy 2024 are India, Malaysia (ranked 13), Republic of Korea (ranked 14), Japan (ranked 15), Pakistan (ranked 16) and hosts China (ranked 23).

“Pakistan lead the head-to-head record against India 82-66,” the Olympics website said about the Sept. 14 face-off. “However, India have won 14 of the last 16 matches against Pakistan.”

India are the most successful side in the Asian Champions Trophy, having won it four times. They enter the 2024 edition as the defending champions, having beaten Malaysia 4-3 in the final in Chennai last year.

Pakistan will next face Japan tomorrow, Wednesday. 

“The match will begin at 10:30 am Pakistan Standard Time,” Radio Pakistan reported on Tuesday. 

Monday saw an edge-of-the-seat match between Pakistan and Korea.

“As many as three goals were scored, only seconds apart, in the 60th minute of the match as Korea successfully handed Pakistan a disappointing 2-2 draw,” the International Hockey Federation said in a statement. 

Hero of the Match, Hannan Shahid of Pakistan said:

“We are glad we could earn one point from this effort and not lose three points instead. It was disappointing to not end up on the winning side. We made a sloppy start and made too many forced errors, getting too many cards in the start of the match which cost us. We will introspect on this and comeback stronger for our next game against Japan.”