With the winner at the Asian Games getting a direct entry into the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, team manager Shahnaz Sheikh fears this could be a make-or-break time for Pakistan hockey.
"It hurt badly when we could not qualify for the World Cup and we do not want the same thing to happen to us at the Olympics," said Sheikh, a renowned striker in his time.
"It is important to win the tournament here and avoid a tough qualification route to the Olympics.”
Pakistan will face minnows Sri Lanka in a rare encounter in their opening Group A match on Saturday.
The greenshirts have not played against an international side in 11 months, while Sri Lanka hockey is taking part at the Asian Games after 36 years. They haven't played with an international team since a year-and-a-half.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Sheikh said, “Sri Lanka may not be a strong side, but we will not take them lightly.”
In the shooting section, Pakistan’s female participant Mehwish Farhan, ranked 15th at the Asian Games, will compete in the 10m Air Pistol qualification round.
On the other hand, male shooters Usman Chand, Ahmer Iqbal and Fakhar ul Islam Qureshi will take part in the Trap qualification, while Uzair Ahmed and Kalim Khan will represent Pakistan in the 50m Pistol qualification round.
Mehboob up against unseeded player in squash
Pakistan’s top seed Farhan Mehboob will take on Jordan Mohammad Khalil Ahmed in the first round of the men’s squash singles event.
Mehboob, who was a part of the gold-medal winning team at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, will have a comparatively easy start against the unseeded teenager from Jordan.
Pakistan are the defending champions in men’s squash at the Games.
Meanwhile, in the women’s singles event, Muqqadas Ashraf will play against fellow debutante Misaki Kobayashi of Japan in the round of 16.
However, all eyes will be on Pakistan’s top seed Maria Toorpakai Wazir, who faces China’s Dongjin Li.
This is Maria’s second appearance at the Games. Earlier, she competed in 2010 and finished ninth in the competition.
Pakistan face Qatar in tennis
Pakistan’s Aqeel Khan and Muhammad Abid will play their opening match against Qatar in the team event at the Yeorumul Tennis Courts.
Pakistan are ranked in the bottom half of the competition that is featuring 19 nations.
In the women’s team event, Ushna Sohail and Sara Mansoor will open their campaign in the Games against Hong Kong in the second round.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s 19-year-old rower Abdul Rehman will start off his Asian Games campaign in the lightweight single scull event at the Chungju Tangeum Lake Rowing Center, where he is set to compete against athletes from Korea, India, Iran and Iran in the event.
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There was a time, Pakistan's international contingents looked smart and carried themsleves with grace and style.
How far we have fallen.