Page 6 - Hockey

Asiad 2023: Well prepared Indian women's hockey team leaves for Hangzhou

The Indian women's hockey team is well prepared and will look to seal an Olympic berth with a good show at the Asian Games, said skipper Savita ahead of the side's departure for Hangzhou, China. The Indian women's hockey team, which is placed in Pool A along with Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong China and Singapore, left for China on Tuesday night. The quadrennial event gets underway in Hangzhou on September 23. India will open their campaign at the prestigious event against Singapore on September 27. Japan, China, Thailand, Kazakhstan, and Indonesia are placed in Pool B. The top two teams from each Pool will qualify for the semifinals. The gold medal winning team will directly qualify for next year's Paris Olympics. "We have had a long and strenuous National Camp where we worked on all the areas where we need to improve. We have formulated our strategies as per our strengths and we have studied our opponents as well, thoroughly to understand their styles of play," Savita said in a ...

Asiad 2023: Indian women's hockey coach says handling pressure will be key

Indian women's hockey coach Janneke Schopman believes handling pressure will be crucial for her team as it will enter the upcoming Asian Games as one of "favourites". "I believe the mindset the players have as individuals and as a team will make the difference. Can we perform under pressure and deal with the circumstances handed over to us? "We have talked about this over the past couple of months and what it means to not be the underdogs like we were in Tokyo but being the favourites," Schopman said on the latest episode of Hockey Te Charcha, a podcast series launched by Hockey India. "We have spoken about the expectations from this team. We have also addressed what dangers are out there that might cause distraction, and trip us up, and how we can deal with the same." The Dutch coach said if her team plays to its potential, it can win win the gold in Hangzhou and qualify directly for next year's Paris Olympics. "It is important to enjoy the journey as well. I hope we win; I think

Saga of sacrifices inspires Indian women hockey team for Asiad, Olympics

If one saw her mother working tirelessly for earning Rs 800 a month, the other endured the agony of being unemployed for almost a decade, while another learnt the game by playing with bamboo sticks. To Savita Punia, Neha Goyal and Nikki Pradhan hockey brought solace, and these Indian women's team players did not let personal turmoil affect their game. Also plenty of sacrifices were made during their journey to the top, making them hungrier for success. They had their 'Chak de' moment in the Tokyo Olympics where they missed a podium finish by a whisker, and now they are on a mission to realise an unfulfilled dream. The first step would be to secure direct qualification to the Paris Olympics through the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games. They are not leaving any stone unturned, including giving up on their favourite food, in order to improve their willpower and fitness and win gold in Hangzhou. "We know that there are immense expectations from us post Tokyo Olympics and this team is cap

Hockey Olympic qualifiers: FIH withdraws hosting rights from Pakistan

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Tuesday withdrew hosting rights of the Olympic Qualifiers from Pakistan, slated to be held next January. The FIH decision came as a result of the infighting between the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and the state-owned Pakistan Sports Board (PSB). The FIH, while taking away our hosting rights, made it clear it was convinced that the sports board and government were not willing to cooperate with the PHF in the successful hosting of the event, said an inside in the PHF. The decision has come as a big blow to Pakistan hockey, which had got the rights to host an international event after more than a decade. The PHF had picked Lahore as the venue to host the event. However, recent attempts by the PSB to interfere in affairs of the PHF and bring in its preferred officials into the federation have led to chaos. Several former Olympians, encouraged by the government's ministry of inter provincial coordination and PSB, have been trying to st

Indian hockey team doesn't want to leave China with regrets: Abhishek

Rising Indian hockey forward Abhishek, who is set for his first major Asian tournament in the upcoming Hangzhou Games, says his aim is to play with confidence and leave China without "any regrets". The 24-year-old has come up the hard way and made a delayed breakthrough in his career but he has cemented his place in the Indian side with some stellar performances -- 18 goals in 48 appearances. "I am ecstatic to have been named to the squad, and I am eager to give my all on the pitch. The 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 is a big tournament, and we're preparing accordingly," he said in a Hockey India release. "We'll play with confidence, and our goal is to leave China with no regrets at the end of the tournament," he added. Asked about his team's preparations for the 19th Asian Games, Abhishek said, "We will face some good teams, and we are working very hard in training to make sure we are in the best physical and mental shape when we step onto the pitch." India are placed in Pool A a

My family sacrificed for me to chase my dreams: Hockey player Karthi Selvam

Fast-rising Karthi Selvam, one of the star performers for Indian men's hockey team in the Asian Champions Trophy, feels that he has been able to live up to expectations of his parents, who sacrificed a lot to nourish his dream of weaving magic with the stick. Karthi was the first from Tamil Nadu to be selected in the senior national men's hockey team in 13 years when he made his debut in last year's Asia Cup in Jakarta. In the ACT this year, he scored two goals and had a hand in plenty of assists. Karthi scored on his debut in the opening match against Pakistan but for the 21-year-old forward, the goal against Malaysia in the group stages of ACT was something he would cherish for his entire life as it came in front of his home and crowd and more importantly his parents. "One memory that I will always cherish is scoring my first goal of the tournament (ACT) against Malaysia. This was the very first goal that I scored in front of my family who were watching me play for the first time,

Women's Hockey ACT: Ranchi to host the event from October 27 to November 5

Following the successful conduct of the men's event in Chennai, India will next host the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament for women for the first time, in Ranchi from October 27 to November 5 this year. The seventh edition of the tournament will be a joint venture between Hockey India and the Government of Jharkhand. Besides India, defending champions Japan, runners-up Korea, China, Malaysia and Thailand are expected to participate in the tournament. The Indian women's team won the title in 2016 and in the following edition in 2018, it finished runners-up. Ranchi has previously hosted numerous Hockey India League matches from 2012 to 2015 and was home to the city-based franchise, Ranchi Rays. In recent years, the stadium has witnessed several top domestic events and boasts of a big fan base for the sport. Jharkhand has a rich hockey history, having produced seven Olympians who have represented India, including Jaipal Singh Munda, Silbanus Dungdung, Manohar Topno, Ajit Lak

India Men's hockey coach Fulton calls ACT triumph big boost for Asian Games

The Asian Champions Trophy title triumph will "really count" as India set sights on Asian Games gold in order to secure automatic qualification to 2024 Paris Olympics, said head coach Craig Fulton. The India hockey team fought back from two goals down to eke out a 4-3 win over Malaysia in the final to claim their fourth ACT title here on Saturday. With the Hangzhou Asian Games scheduled to commence on September 23, Fulton was asked whether a thrilling final like this will help the side in the continental showpiece event. "Finals are cagier; they never go smooth. It comes down to a moment or shootouts. So, it's important to have a game like this because it really counts. "At the same time, it's (ACT) not the Asian Games. So, our feet are firmly on the ground. But, if you said to me to win the Asian Games and lose this final, I would obviously vouch for winning the Games," added Fulton. Fulton said the comeback story of the team had begun two months back. "Two months ago," Fulton t

Hockey: India jump to number three in FIH rankings after ACT triumph

Giving them a big boost ahead of the Asian Games, India on Sunday rose to third in FIH rankings following their Asian Champions Trophy triumph. India (2771.35 points) jumped one place to third and went past England (2763.50 points) behind top-ranked Netherlands (3095.90 points) and Belgium (2917.87 points). This was the second time India rose to No 3 in FIH rankings. India had achieved a similar ranking in 2021 after securing a bronze in the Tokyo Olympics, which was their first medal at the Games in 41 years. On Saturday, the Harmanpreet Singh-led side defeated Malaysia 4-3 to lift the ACT title. They made an incredible comeback from 1-3 down. In the last edition of the event in 2021, India had finished third. The Indian hockey team's next assignment will be the Asian Games in Hangzhou from September 23. The ACT runners-up Malaysia remained on ninth in the FIH rankings. Apart from India and Malaysia, South Korea too find themselves at 11th while Pakistan is placed 16th.

CM Stalin announces prize of Rs 1.1 cr for ACT-winning Indian hockey team

The Indian men's hockey team on Saturday produced a resilient performance and staged an incredible comeback to defeat Malaysia 4-3

Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2023 winner, match results and history

A spirited India eked out a fighting 4-3 win over Malaysia in the final to clinch the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament for the fourth time on (August 12)

Hockey: FIH takes U-turn, abandons trial of new penalty corner rule

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Friday said it has decided to "abandon" the trial of the new penalty corner rule as it doesn't want to tinker much with the existing set piece regulation, a glamour aspect of the sport. "FIH has decided to put on hold and abandon the new penalty corner rule trial. The format that was being considered during the trial will not be taken into consideration anymore," FIH president Tayyab Ikram said on the sidelines of the ongoing Asian Champions Trophy here. "But, I have already instructed to have a re-evaluation of further options, and we are in big favour to keep the existing PC rule. If it will be a different change, it would be around the same format, but in more dynamic ways." According to the proposed rule, all attackers except the pusher at the backline must start at least five metres outside the striking circle called the 'D' which is 12 metres from the goal post. The ball must travel outside the dotted line, which is five metres bey

Asian Champions Trophy: India storm into final after 5-0 thrashing of Japan

Star Sports Select 2 HD/SD and Star Sports First will live broadcast IND vs JPN hockey match in India

Hockey: ACT 2023, IND vs JPN preview - India start as favourites vs Japan

Maintaining intensity throughout the 60 minutes of the game and consistency in finishing would be India's targets when the hosts take on Japan in the semifinal of the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament here on Friday. No doubt, India will start as favourites after their unbeaten run in the round-robin stage, winning four matches and drawing one to top the points table. However, India would be wary of Japan, the only side the hosts have not beaten. The league match between the two sides had ended in a 1-1 draw. There is a wide gap in the world rankings between the two teams as India are at fourth spot as against 19 of Japan. But the home side should not forget that they had lost to Japan 3-5 in the semifinals of the 2021 edition in Dhaka after thrashing their opponents 6-0 in the league stage. India have scored the most number of goals -- 20 -- so far in this tournament but they missed chances galore against Japan in their league match, and the hosts will have to make amends o

IND vs PAK hockey highlights: India thrash Pakistan 4-0, knock out of ACT

Star Sports Select 2 HD/SD and Star Sports First will live broadcast IND vs PAK hockey match in India

Hockey ACT 2023: Abu Kamal Azrai's goal helps Malaysia beat South Korea 1-0

Malaysia came up with a spirited performance to edge past defending champions South Korea 1-0 during their round-robin match of the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy Hockey here on Wednesday. Abu Kamal Azrai scored the winner in a contest that was academic in nature with both countries having already sealed semi-final berth. The first quarter was a slow start from both sides, while Malaysia won the tie's opening penalty corner, which was saved by the Korean goalkeeper. After a chance each, there was nothing to separate the two teams at the end of the first quarter in which Malaysian skipper Marhan Jalil and Amirul Azahar were warned with green-cards. In the 22nd minute, an unmarked Abu Kamal Azrai slapped the ball home to give the Malaysians the lead. Malaysia kept its slender lead going into half-time. After the change of ends, Malaysia continued to be the better side in terms of number of raids into the opposition's defensive third. However, the Korean defence managed to hold out ti

Asian Champions Trophy Hockey 2023: India, Malaysia into the semi-finals

Asian Champions Trophy Hockey 2023: India and Malaysia are into the semi-finals, and China has been knocked out. Check where the other team stands after the opening round of fixtures

ACT 2023, IND vs PAK Hockey: India aim to avoid complacency vs arch-rivals

Their semifinal berth already sealed, three-time champions India would look to guard against complacency when they take on arch-rivals Pakistan in a high-voltage last round-robin league match of the Asian Champions Trophy here on Wednesday. There has been complete contrast in the overall performance of both the sides in the tournament so far. While the hosts are unbeaten in the four games they played so far, Pakistan have managed only a win along with a couple of draws and a loss and their semifinal hopes depend on the result of this vital clash. A win for Pakistan will guarantee them a spot in the last four stage, but a defeat would leave their fate on the result of the match between China and Japan. If Pakistan lose on Wednesday, they will hope for China to upset Japan. In case Japan wins, the victory of margin should be lesser. Besides Pakistan would also hope for Malaysia to beat South Korea by a big margin, which would benefit the Men in Green. With three wins and a draw, Indi

Hockey ACT 2023: Harmapreet don't want to concede silly PCs vs Pakistan

Indian men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh is happy with his team's improved strike-rate of short corners but wants a curb on conceding silly penalty corners in its important match against arch-rivals Pakistan in the Asian Champions Trophy on Wednesday. "It would definitely be a high-intensity tie. We need to be smart and focus on our actual gameplan and our responsibilities. We will stick to our original structure and try to finish better," he told PTI after his team's 3-2 victory over South Korea. "It's going to be a full-house. It was a near full-house yesterday (Sunday), which is a good sign for Indian hockey." While he is happy that his team is finding ways to score both through penalty corners as well as field strikes, there is still some work on the defensive front --- mainly in terms of conceding penalty corners at crucial junctures. "We have been scoring goals both through field and PCs. Also, ball possession was quite good, especially during the closing stages of the .

Hockey ACT 2023: We are aware of India's weak areas - Pakistan head coach

Pakistan are aware of India's weak areas and they have to play smart hockey against the home side, head coach Muhammad Saqlain said on Monday ahead of a potentially high-voltage clash between the arch-rivals in the Asian Champions Trophy here. India and Pakistan face each other in their last round-robin league match on Wednesday. "Harmanpreet Singh and other centre forwards are some of the best players in the world. We are aware of their weakness as well, but we have to be smart against them," Saqlain told PTI on Monday. Pakistan managed a narrow 2-1 win over China on Monday to stay in contention for a semifinal berth. Saqlain said he's confident of his side making it to the final four. "Finally, we have got the three crucial points. We created quite some chances, especially towards the initial stages of the meeting. If we keep going like this, we can surely make it to the semifinals with this young team," he said of the win against China. Asked about handling pressure against th