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Building combinations, improving fitness levels, and sharpening tactical aspects will be the key focus areas when the tried-and-tested group of 31 probables assemble for the senior women's national hockey camp from April 1 to prepare for the World Cup later this year. The camp will be conducted at the Sports Authority of India's National Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The team is currently basking in the glory of a strong performance at the recently-concluded FIH World Cup Qualifiers in Hyderabad, where it secured a silver medal to qualify for the World Cup in Belgium and Netherlands in August. The camp comes at a crucial juncture as India are also set to compete in the Nations Cup in June, followed by the World Cup and the Asian Games scheduled from September 19 to October 4 in Japan. The goalkeeping unit includes Savita Punia, returning after missing the FIH World Cup Qualifiers in Hyderabad, alongside Madhuri Kindo, Bansari Solanki, and Bichu Devi Kharibam, the recent Hockey
The Indian women's hockey team lost 0-2 against the higher-ranked England to finish runners-up in the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers but still managed to qualify for this year's mega-event, here on Saturday. World No. 6 England scored through a penalty corner conversion by Grace Balsdon in the 13th minute before doubling their lead through a field strike from Elizabeth Neal in the 43rd minute. The Indians, ranked ninth in the world, tried their heart and soul throughout the entire 60 minutes but failed to break the resolute English defence. Besides champions England, runner-up India and Scotland, who defeated Italy 1-0, qualified from this event for the World Cup. This edition of the World Cup will be jointly hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium from August 14 to 30 along side the men's tournament. India began the game on the front foot with Navneet Kaur helping her side earn a penalty corner within the opening two minutes. However, her drag-flick from the resulting set piece w
The Indian men and women hockey teams will finish 2020 in fourth and ninth positions, respectively, after a major part of the year was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Monday confirmed that the Belgium men's team and the Netherlands' women will finish the year at the top of the world rankings. In January, the world body introduced its new match-based model for calculation of world rankings, with the FIH Hockey Pro League matches that were played in early part of the year seeing regular fluctuations in standings before the outbreak of the global health crisis brought all sporting activities to a grinding halt in March. According to a statement issued by the FIH, the "brief but wonderful return" of the competition between September and November saw further exchanges of points between the men's and women's national teams of Belgium, Germany, Netherlands and Great Britain. In the men's FIH world rankings, reigning world and European ...