30th March 1969 one of the very few moments when India and Pakistan were supporting the same issue , it was the proposal of hockey world cup in front of FIH - the international body which runs the hockey worldwide, 26th of October 1969 FIH approved the concept and first hockey world cup was scheduled to be held in Pakistan because of then president of Pakistan Hockey Federation Air Marshal Noor Khan was him who brought this concept to reality.
27th March 1971 the same day when then Military Ruler of Pakistan ordered an army crackdown on the East Pakistan , Pakistan Hockey Federation presented a 61 cm long silver gold trophy to FIH , later as it turned out due to grown security problems in Pakistan specially for Indian Players world cup was shifted to Spain .
1971 world cup:- It was the last day of the pool matches when Holland played Japan. If Holland won (they were overwhelming favorites), Holland would be in the semi-finals. If the game was a draw, Pakistan’s fate depended on the result of the Australia-Spain match. In the unlikely event that Japan won, Pakistan would be in the semi-finals. Entire Pakistani team was present for the match , some Pakistani players even giving some tips to Japanese players . At the end of the match an unexpected result came Holland lost by a 0-1 margin . At the end of the match some Pakistani players gifted the Pakistan made hockey sticks to Japanese players , In semis it was a Pakistan vs India encounter after a hard fought match India lost to Pakistan by 1-2 margin , later Pakistan went on to win the world cup and India came in the third position.
1973 world cup:- Another world cup which began with a controversy Pakistan had to post its second string hockey team on the field due to ban on the entire team cause of disorderly conduct by the Pakistani Players during the medal ceremony in 1972 Munich Olympics and which was only lifted after an high level apology by the PHF.Later as it turned out it was again India vs Pakistan encounter in the semis . This time India won it by 1-0 margin and later India lost to Netherlands in the final that too in the tie break .
1975 world cup:- It was the first time when world cup was held in Asia , it was the city of Kuala Lumpur which got this honor to host the world cup for the first time in asia.
It was semifinal of the world cup and India was playing host Malaysia and 8 mins for the match to end India was 1-2 down , when Aslam Sher khan came to the field as a substitute , 3 minutes for the match to end India was awarded the penalty corner and Aslam Sher Khan scored for India , later in the extra time alloted India scored once again and qualified for the finals to play against arch rivals Pakistan.
India won the match and the world cup beating Pakistan by 2-1 margin and this was the first and the only world cup India have won till date .
1978 world cup:- It was the world cup from where the bad times for Indian hockey began . Defending champions India lost to Germany by 7-0 margin which is till date India’s worst defeat in the international hockey. India couldn’t even make it to the semifinals and was placed at the 6th position in the world cup. Pakistan remain the only undefeated team in the tournament and won the championship 2nd time .
1982 world cup:- India was hosting the world cup for the first time and for the last time when hockey was played on the grass turf . To accommodate the large crowds Matches were held at the cricket grounds and it was the largest crowd which hockey had ever witnessed .
India vs Australia a crucial match for India , India just had to draw the match to qualify , India scored first but Australia scored twice later and India was facing a familiar fate , bowing out of the world cup without even qualifying to the semifinals . Later as it turned out Pakistan won the championship for the second time in a row and India coming in the 5th position.
1986 world cup:- It was the world cup which is remembered again for the traditional rivals on the field rivalry but this time instead of Pakistan and India , both teams facing their worst ever performance by finishing 11 and 12th position ,it was England the host of the world cup vs Australia , the traditional rivals meeting in the finals and Australia winning its first and the only world cup . This defeat set India a decade back in the Hockey game .
1990 world cup:- World cup was back in Asia and this time it was the Pakistan’s turn to host the world cup. After last world cup’s shameful defeat Pakistan made a come back by reaching to the final where Netherlands defeating the Pakistan in finals by 3-1 margin.For India it was the same story by not even qualifying to the semis and finishing in the 10th position .This world cup is also remembered for the best ever crowd that watched the hockey world cup finals .
1994 world cup:- This time world cup was about to be held at Sydney Australia and Australia determined to improve its standings from last world cup’s third place finish but as it turned out it was the same teams in the finals Netherlands and Pakistan only difference being that Pakistan won the match and the world cup this time . India finishing in the 5th position best position which India have achieved after 1975 world cup till date .
1998 world cup:- Europe was again hosting the world cup and Netherlands being the host country . Defending champion Pakistan failed to qualify even to the semis but was the only Asian team among the top six positions and finished at the 5th position in final standings. India again had a miserable world cup by finishing in the 9th position in the final standings .
2002 world cup:- World cup was again in Asia and Malaysia was hosting it’s second world cup . Korea being the only Asian team to reach to the semis and later on finishing in the 4th position Pakistan finishing in the 5th position and India 10th position . Germany won the world cup for the first time by beating Australia in the finals .
2006 world cup:- Germany was hosting the world cup and also defending the world cup . Again as it turned out Korea was the only team again to qualify for the semis , Pakistan and India again failing to qualify and India finishing the world cup in the 11th position among the 12 participating teams .
23 days to go for the hockey world cup India 2010.
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