India, Aug. 15 -- It's a wait that dates back to more than half a century and the Indian men's hockey team would be determined to break the jinx this time when it begins its title quest at the FIH World Cup with a clash against Wales here on Saturday.

The Harmanpreet Singh-led side would hope to add to the country's Independence Day celebrations by beating Wales to set the tone for a campaign that could finally end one of Indian hockey's longest-standing droughts, which goes back 51 years.

India's last and only World Cup triumph came in 1975, when Ajit Pal Singh's team defeated Pakistan in the final in Kuala Lumpur.

"We want to write our own piece of history in Indian hockey," coach Craig Fulton said ahead of the tournament, acknowledg...