Pakistan captain Zeeshan Ashraf is already looking beyond the high-intensity opener against the hosts.
Emotions hit the peak each time arch-rivals India and Pakistan take on each other.
This time the neighbours meet on February 28, the opening day of the hockey World Cup.
In recent times, Pakistan have had the better of the hosts, winning 6-3 at the 2009 Champions Challenge when the teams last met.
The Pakistani captain Zeeshan Ashraf feels the high-intensity clash against India is crucial but added that a defeat will not be the end of the road.
“It is a big game for both India and Pakistan. People in both countries lay stress on an India-Pakistan game than on winning the tournament,” said Ashraf.
“Even if we do not win the opening encounter, we’ll still have four more matches. So all will not be lost,” he said.
The four-time world champions have displayed some good performances of late.
They won silver at the Champions Challenge in Argentina in December last year and Ashraf believes they have a good chance of making it to the semifinals.
“We have been playing well. I think we can reach the last-four.”
Performance of senior pros like Sohail Abbas and Rehman Butt will be vital if Pakistan are to progress in the 12-nation tournament.
Abbas has been a threat in front of the goal and delivers the goods whenever required.
But Pakistan’s over-dependence on the 34-year-old may backfire and the team has been taking measures to take pressure off him.
“Some new guys are stepping up to take short-corners. Players like Muhammad Rizwan are practicing penalty corners,” said the Pakistan captain.
“This will ease the pressure off Abbas and we will be able to score from penalty corners even if he (Abbas) is not in form,” concluded the Pakistan captain
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