An intriguing day's programme lies ahead on Saturday when all the four teams, India, Malaysia, Pakistan and New Zealand play with a possible chance of figuring in Sunday's final in the Azlan Shah tournament.
By S. Thyagarajan
The focus is, understandably, on the India-Pakistan, who are coming to grips after a gap of almost an year. The last meeting was in the same tournament in May 2008 when India won 2-1.
Sans the romanticism that the contests evoked in those halcyon days, the 138th contest in the history since 1947 on Saturday, will be the key to determine the finalist. India needs a draw while a win may even catapault Pakistan to the final.
After two drawn games in which India was leading 2-1 till the fading minutes, India has placed itself in a complex situations leading to permutations and combinations.
Malaysia needs a draw to sew up a final berth but, the Kiwis, professional, proficient and perfectly structured will definitely pose a formidable challenge to the local team which is bracing up for the forthcoming Asia Cup to be held at Kuantan.
Points table at the end of three matches: Malaysia played 3, won 2, drawn nil, lost 1, goals for 7, goals against 6, points 6; India 3-1-2-0-7-4-5; New Zealand 3-1-2-0-6-5-5; Pakistan 3-1-0-2-8-6-3; Egypt 4-0-2-2-4-11-2.
