India, in turn, will support Pakistan's Mudassar Ashgar for the post of secretary against the incumbent P.Alagendra of Malaysia, an AHF insider said. The Sultan angered Pakistan during the last AHF elections in Hiroshima four years ago when he gave his casting vote to Alagendra following a 16-16 deadlock with Ashgar.

"It hurt Pakistan badly and they decided to have a go at the Sultan even though India supported the Malaysians last time," an official said. "With India and Pakistan coming together, it could be hot for the Sultan. I believe the Pakistanis are well prepared this time."

Malaysian officials are working overtime to arrive at acompromise by which the Sultan, who has ruled Asian hockey for 16 years, gets a fifth term.

"It's still close," a Malaysian lobbyist said. "The Sultan could still win if he supports Ashgar for secretary. That could leave India out in the cold."

That is a speculation the Pakistanis reject. One official said that there was no going back on the decision to support Gill, the Indian hockey chief who filed his nomination last month.