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After the conclusion of cricket's T20 World Cup and football's FIFA World Cup in 2022, Hockey World Cup is knocking the doors of 2023 which slated to be played from January 13 to January 29 in Odisha, India. A total of 16 teams from across the globe will gather in Bhubaneswar for the 15th edition of the marquee tournament. India hosted the showpiece Hockey World Cup last time in 2018 as well. Spain got the better of Netherlands in the final to clinch the World Cup title in 2018. Yet again, after a long wait of four years, hockey action is back and is ready to grip the nation. When the entire world is talking about the Hockey World, let's dive into the history of this beautiful sport. Who was the first person to come up with the idea of Hockey and how Pakistan had to bear the brunt for this, we will cover it all.
The Man behind the idea
This time around the Hockey World Cup 2023 is being held in India which has a rich history in the sport. However, the first World Cup was played in 1971 when Spain hosted the tournament. If we talk about the man behind the idea of staging Hockey World Cup, he was Pakistan's Air Marshal Noor Khan. He shared the idea with the International Hockey Federation (FIH) through Patrick Rowley, the first editor of World Hockey magazine. Post which FIH took it seriously and in 1969-70 it was announced that the Hockey World Cup will be held in Pakistan.
India-Pakistan war's imbroglio
Indian army was busy taking on with Pakistan for Bangladesh's freedom at the time when it was announced to hold the Hockey World Cup in Pakistan. Due to which the Bangladesh Liberation War was going on in Pakistan. Six years before the scenario, the 1965 war took place between India and Pakistan. In this way, back in 1971, given the tension between India and Pakistan, FIH decided to hold the first Hockey World Cup to some other place.
Pakistan bore the brunt
Despite Pakistan's Air Marshal Noor Khan proposed the idea of Hockey World Cup, his own country had to bear the brunt when the hosting of the showpiece event was snatched from them and was handed over to Spain. This is how, in 1971, the first Hockey World Cup was organized in the city of Barcelona, Spain. Being the neutral and peaceful venue for the neighbouring nation, India and Pakistan's teams agreed to play there and a total of 10 teams participated in for the elusive trophy which was special on its own. Pakistan ended up being the first to clinch the inaugural Hockey World Cup title.
