DailyWorld News - The First International Newspaper From India https://dailyworld.in/ Thu, 25 Sep 2025 22:24:23 +0530 en https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-league-2026-mini-auctions-to-take-place-on-sep-24-640209.html New Delhi Sep 23 The excitement is building as the countdown begins for the Hockey India League HIL 2026 Mens and Womens Mini Auctions to be held on Wednesday in New Delhi With franchises eager to sharpen their squads and secure the hottest talent in world hockey the auctions promise all the drama and strategy of sport off the field Over 100 mens and womens players will be in the spotlight as they hope to get into their favourite teams With a salary cap of INR 4 crore for mens teams and INR 2 crore for womens teams every move at the bidding table will count Each squad will consist of 20 players 2 goalkeepers 18 outfield players with a maximum of 7 overseas recruits and a minimum of 3 Indian juniors ensuring opportunities for the next generationThe auctions will feature three base price slabs INR 2 lakh INR 5 lakh and INR 10 lakh with INR 2 lakh as the minimum for both Indian and overseas playersNotably franchises will only be allowed to bid where they have sufficient budget and open playing positions available Teams will also be required to maintain a balance between their remaining purse and the players required to complete the squadSpeaking on the occasion Hockey India President Dr Dilip Tirkey said It takes a lot of steadfast resolve and commitment for a federation to ensure the continued success of a league especially for a legacy sport like hockey The core purpose of a league is to build inclusion and opportunity for the sport to grow The Hero HIL 2026 edition is being planned with this resolve to keep player exposure welfare and growth at the centre of our focusWhile we do this throughout the year across our competitions calendar the HIL allows a unique opportunity for healthy corporate participation to contribute and get involved in the sport We are proud of each of our franchise partners for their belief and contribution to ensure the success of the league The mini auction taking place tomorrow promises to be actionpacked as our first milestone for the second edition of the HIL I wish all the teams and players the best of luck he addedWith the auctions shaping up as a critical step towards teambuilding excitement is already running high as franchises strategise to secure top talent for the upcoming season of the Hockey India League 2026The auction will start at 1030 am onwards Mens auction will be followed by womens auction IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-league-2026-mini-auctions-to-take-place-on-sep-24-640209.html Tue, 23 Sep 2025 22:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/rohit-to-lead-junior-mens-hockey-team-at-sultan-of-johor-cup--639919.html New Delhi Sep 22 Hockey India on Monday announced the 18member junior mens hockey team set to participate in the upcoming edition of the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia Defender Rohit has been named as captain The squad includes goalkeepers Bikramjit Singh and Princedeep Singh defenders Rohit Talem Priyobarta Anmol Ekka Amir Ali Sunil P B and Ravneet Singh midfielders Ankit Pal Thounaojam Ingalemba Luwang Adrohit Ekka Araijeet Singh Hundal Rosan Kujur and Manmeet Singh and forwards Arshdeep Singh Sourabh Anand Kushwaha Ajeet Yadav and Gurjot SinghThe team has been preparing well for the Sultan of Johor Cup We have a good team and with the Junior World Cup coming up this tournament will be a good platform and rehearsal for the players to test themselves against strong opponents and gain valuable international experience We are looking forward to putting up a good performance in Malaysia Coach PR Sreejesh saidIndia won the bronze medal in the previous edition of the tournament and will look to build on that performance this year They will begin their campaign against Great Britain on October 11 followed by a clash with New Zealand on October 12They will then face Pakistan on October 14 Australia on October 15 and conclude their roundrobin stage with a contest against hosts Malaysia on October 17 The top two teams in the standings will advance to the final scheduled for October 18Goalkeepers Bikramjit Singh Princedeep SinghDefenders Rohit C Talem Priyobarta Anmol Ekka Amir Ali Sunil P B Ravneet SinghMidfielders Ankit Pal Thounaojam Ingalemba Luwang Adrohit Ekka Araijeet Singh Hundal Rosan Kujur Manmeet SinghForwards Arshdeep Singh Sourabh Anand Kushwaha Ajeet Yadav Gurjot SinghForwards Arshdeep Singh Sourabh Anand Kushwaha Ajeet Yadav Gurjot Singh IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/rohit-to-lead-junior-mens-hockey-team-at-sultan-of-johor-cup--639919.html Mon, 22 Sep 2025 15:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/up-rudras-step-away-from-hockey-india-league-639997.html New Delhi Sep 22 Hockey franchise UP Rudras have announced their decision to withdraw from the Hockey India League due to financial sustainability The franchise stressed that the move while difficult does not diminish its commitment to the sport or its community This was not an easy call said team director Cedric DSouza We value what the league has brought to Indian hockey but sustainability challenges made continuation untenable Our responsibility now is to direct resources where they can have the greatest longterm impact grassroots developmentThe Rudras underlined that their focus going forward will be on building strong foundations for hockey in India investing in structured programs at the school and community level scouting and training initiatives to identify promising players early and creating development platforms that bridge the gap between local talent and national recognition By realigning resources the franchise aims to ensure that hockeys pipeline of talent remains strong and that opportunities are accessible to players outside the league spotlightIndian Hockey Team vicecaptain and UP Rudras star player Hardik added perspective from the players Representing the Rudras in the Hockey India League has been an honour Our fans have stood by us with unwavering loyalty While this chapter closes our dedication to hockey and to inspiring future athletes continues at the grassroots levelOfficials thanked the fans for their vocal support throughout and emphasised that the decision reflects strategic redirection not retreat Indian hockey legend Lalit Upadhyay and UP stalwart noted The league has played an important role despite it coming to an end for us our focus on developing the sport in Uttar Pradesh will continue By channelling efforts into grassroots initiatives we remain fully invested in Indian hockeys futureFor the Rudras stepping away from the Hockey India League is less an exit than a pivot The franchise believes that its greatest impact now lies in strengthening the sports foundations creating opportunities for young players and ensuring the longterm health of hockey in India With this shift the Rudras reaffirm their role not just as competitors on the field but as committed custodians of the games future IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/up-rudras-step-away-from-hockey-india-league-639997.html Mon, 22 Sep 2025 20:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-womens-hockey-team-to-tour-australia-for-five-match-series-from-sep-26-to-oct-2-639462.html New Delhi Sept 19 Indian junior womens hockey team is all set to tour Australia for a fivematch series scheduled to take place at the National Hockey Centre in Canberra from September 26 to October 2 During the tour India will play their first three matches against the Australia Junior Womens Team followed by two matches against the local side Canberra Chill a club that competes in Australias Hockey One League The matches will be played on September 26 27 29 30 and October 2This will be a significant exposure tour for the junior women as they continue their preparations for the FIH Junior World Cup 2025 which will be hosted in Santiago Chile in December this yearThe series will offer the Indian team a chance to test themselves in challenging conditions and gain invaluable international match experience against the Australian team known for its fastpaced and physical brand of hockeyFor many of the players this will also be their first overseas exposure at the junior level making it a crucial step in their growth and developmentLooking ahead to the tour Indian Junior Womens Hockey Team Coach Tushar Khandker said We are grateful for this opportunity to tour Australia which is one of the strongest hockeyplaying nations in the world Playing a competitive series against them will give our players valuable exposure help us identify areas of improvement and prepare the team for the challenges of the Junior World Cup later this yearThe players have been working hard in the training camp and this series will be a real test of our preparations so far Our focus will be on improving match temperament adapting to different playing conditions and executing our strategies under pressure I believe this experience will go a long way in shaping the teams confidence and readiness for the World Cup he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-womens-hockey-team-to-tour-australia-for-five-match-series-from-sep-26-to-oct-2-639462.html Fri, 19 Sep 2025 17:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-league-franchise-kalinga-lancers-rope-in-aussie-legend-jay-stacy-as-head-coach-638760.html Bhubaneswar Sep 16 Kalinga Lancers have roped in Australian legend Jay Stacy as the new head coach of the team ahead of the upcoming Hockey India League season Stacy who represented Australia in 321 international matches and four Olympic Games winning three medals in 1992 1996 and 2000 takes over from German coach Valentin Altenburg who led the side in the previous campaignI am excited to begin a new chapter with Vedanta Kalinga Lancers and am thrilled to be returning to the Hockey India League which has evolved significantly since my earlier stint The league taught me a lot as a coach and I am sure this will be another exciting experience for me both being back in India and working with such a wonderful franchise I am grateful to the Vedanta Kalinga for this opportunity and look forward to an exciting journey ahead Stacy said in a statementStacy brings with him a wealth of experience as both player and coach He was part of the Australian squad that won three Olympic medals silver at Barcelona 1992 Bronze at Atlanta 1996 and bronze at Sydney 2000 in addition to clinching gold at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur and the 1999 Champions TrophyHe was also named the FIH Player of the Year in 1999 Stacy retired in 2000 as Australias most capped international playerIn his coaching career he has worked extensively across the club and domestic circuits in Australia the Netherlands and Belgium and also served as head coach of the Mumbai franchise during the 2016 and 2017 editions of the Hockey India League Since 2022 he has been the head coach of the Australian junior teamVedanta Kalinga Lancers have thanked former Head Coach Valentin Altenburg for building and leading a solid squad for Vedanta Kalinga LancersWelcoming Stacy on board Rajiv Kumar CEO Vedanta Aluminium said We are delighted to welcome Jay to the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers family He has achieved so much in his career and is one of the most respected and renowned figures in international hockeyA head coach of his stature will undoubtedly take our team to new heights and help us achieve our objectives of not only winning the coveted title but also nurturing players to excel in their respective careers IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-league-franchise-kalinga-lancers-rope-in-aussie-legend-jay-stacy-as-head-coach-638760.html Tue, 16 Sep 2025 12:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/2025-26-fih-hockey-pro-league-season-to-start-on-december-9-in-argentina-and-ireland-638681.html Lausanne Sep 15 Whilst the exhilarating images of the FIH Hockey Pro League Season 6 are still fresh in the minds of hockey fans around the world Season 7 of the League of the Best involving the creme de la creme of world hockey is just around the corner With two newcomers Ireland women and Pakistan men the 202526 FIH Pro League season will start from Ireland precisely as well as Argentina for an exciting journey of no less than 144 matches And on top of the pride of winning the League both Champions will ensure their spot at the Olympic Games LA28Germany vs Belgium men will get the season underway in Ireland Action will continue in Argentina later in the day with mens champions Netherlands taking on League debutants PakistanBelgium England and Germany men along with Belgium England and Ireland women will play the first block of matches in Ireland In Argentina the Leones and Leonas will face Netherlands and Pakistan men as well as Germany and Netherlands women respectivelyThe highprofile encounters between these top teams are sure to provide moments of great excitement for the fans right from the first whistleThe league will conclude in epic fashion on June 28 2026 with thrilling clashes across three countries namely Belgium Germany and England With 6 womens and 6 mens teams in action on closing day the competition promises to keep the fans on the edge of their seats till the final whistle as it did in the 202425 season when the mens FIH Hockey World Cup qualification was decided at the final match of the season as Spain pipped Germany to qualify for the eventThis season will see the arrival of Ireland women and Pakistan men both making their debut in the competition having been promoted via the FIH Hockey Nations Cup 202425 adding further depth and excitement to the Pro League Their entry ensures fresh rivalries and wider engagement for fans across the globeBoth the Netherlands men and women come into the new season as reigning champions having claimed the titles in the previous FIH Hockey Pro League season The Oranje hockey teams will look to defend their crowns against an increasingly competitive field IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/2025-26-fih-hockey-pro-league-season-to-start-on-december-9-in-argentina-and-ireland-638681.html Mon, 15 Sep 2025 17:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-veteran-forward-navneet-kaur-completes-200-international-caps-for-indian-womens-team-638288.html Hangzhou Sep 13 Hockey India congratulated Navneet Kaur the prolific player on completing 200 international caps She completed the milestone when India took on Japan in their Super4s match at the Womens Asia Cup 2025 in Hangzhou on Saturday Notably Navneet is currently the secondhighest scorer for India at the ongoing Womens Asia Cup 2025The 29yearold made her senior debut in 2014 after helping the junior team win a bronze medal at the 2013 Junior Womens World Cup She has since been one of the most consistent performers in the Indian womens team Over the years she has represented India in every major global tournament and played a pivotal role in the teams rise at the international stage She was part of the team that produced a historic run at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics where the Indian team finished fourth narrowly missing out on a medalAt the Commonwealth Games Navneet featured in the 2022 edition in Birmingham where she helped India clinch the bronze medal She was also part of the teams memorable campaigns at the Asian Games winning the silver medal in 2018 at JakartaPalembang and the bronze medal in 2022 at HangzhouNavneet was also part of the Indian squad that won the gold medal at the 2017 Womens Asia Cup in Kakamigahara and later the bronze medal in Muscat at the 2022 edition Adding to her impressive career she was also part of the Indian team that won the silver medal at the Asian Champions Trophy in Donghae in 2018 followed by backtoback gold medal wins in the 2023 edition in Ranchi and the 2024 edition in RajgirSpeaking on her milestone Navneet Kaur said It is a very special moment in my career It has been an amazing ride ever since I made my debut in 2014 The last decade has been full of learning experiences Each tournament has taught me something new and I feel grateful to my family teammates coaches and the fans for their support throughout Wearing the India jersey is a privilege I cherish every single day and milestones like these remind me of how grateful I am I will continue to give my best and hope to inspire more young girls to take up hockeyCongratulating Navneet on her milestone Hockey India President Dr Dilip Tirkey said Playing 200 matches for India is a mark of both excellence and endurance Navneet has been an integral part of the Indian Womens Teams rise in recent years She has scored crucial goals shown great consistency and been a role model for the younger players coming into the team We are extremely proud of her milestone and wish her many more successes in her careerHockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh also congratulated Navneet and said Navneet Kaurs journey is an inspiration for every young girl who dreams of playing hockey for India Achieving 200 caps at the highest level requires tremendous hard work and commitment Hockey India congratulates her on this remarkable achievement and looks forward to her continued contributions to the teams success IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-veteran-forward-navneet-kaur-completes-200-international-caps-for-indian-womens-team-638288.html Sat, 13 Sep 2025 16:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/womens-asia-cup-india-play-a-1-1-draw-against-japan-in-super-4s-638310.html Hangzhou China Sep 13 The Indian womens hockey team put in a fine performance against Japan drawing 11 in a Super 4s match of the Womens Asia Cup 2025 in Hangzhou India will reach the final of the Womens Asia Cup 2025 if China overcome Korea or avoids a defeat by less than threegoal margins In the match against Japan India drew first blood as they scored early through Beauty Dung Dung 7 whilst it was Shiho Kobayakawa 58 who equalised for the JapaneseIndia had the better start in the early exchanges of the contest and threatened within the first few minutes itself as Ishika Chaudhary hit the frame of the goal After that Japan began to put together a few moves in attack but were quickly pushed back as India struck in the form of Beauty Dung Dung 7 who deflected Nehas shot into the net to make it 10 India continued to attack and earned the games first penalty corner in the final moments of the first quarter which ended with the score at 10Japan came out in the second quarter looking for the equaliser and were on the front foot in the first few minutes Japan won a penalty corner as well but India kept them out without much trouble As the contest progressed the Indian Womens Hockey Team started to regain possession and began building in attack Japans defence though held on and then put the pressure on India in the final stages of the first half However Indias defence kept them at arms length and went into the break with the score at 10The third quarter saw the Indian womens hockey team up the ante against Japans defence Lalremsiami was often at the heart of the attacking moves However the Japanese team held on and absorbed the pressure Indias attack were on song in the quarter and were relentless in attack but could not find the second goal to complement their dominance At the break India led 10The final quarter saw Japan stepping it up in attack as they looked for an equaliser The defending champions were under pressure and the Indian womens hockey teams defence continued to repel the Japanese attacks Midway through the quarter India started to move back up the pitch and won a flurry of penalty corners to put the pressure back on their opponents In the final minutes Japan scored through Shiho Kobayakawa 58 to make it 11Eventually both teams shared the spoils as they were locked at 11 when the hooter sounded IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/womens-asia-cup-india-play-a-1-1-draw-against-japan-in-super-4s-638310.html Sat, 13 Sep 2025 18:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sg-pipers-retain-17-mens-team-players-ahead-of-hockey-india-league-season-2-auction-638329.html New Delhi Sep 13 SG Pipers have unveiled a formidable list of 17 retained mens players ahead of the Hockey India League HIL 2025 auctions showcasing a balanced mix of Indian stars as well as international stalwarts The retained roster underlines the franchises commitment to nurturing domestic talent while strengthening global pedigree across all positions The SG Pipers coaching staff worked closely with the Director of Hockey Padma Bhushan PR Sreejesh to finalise the list of retained playersThe Pipers have also completed the acquisition of the Welsh international Jacob Draper who has been traded in from Team Gonasika after appearing in all 10 games last seasonGoalkeepers Tomas Santiago of Argentina and Indias Pawan provide depth at the back supported in defence by Jarmanpreet Singh Varun Kumar Rohit Manjeet and Wales international Gareth Furlong The midfield unit is bolstered by Shamsher Singh Rajkumar Pal Ankit Pal and Kingson Singh from India alongside Australias Ky Willott and Welshman Jacob Draper who joined via trade In attack Argentinas Tomas Domene leads the forward line with support from Indias Aditya Lalage Sourabh Anand Khushwaha and Dilraj SinghThe retained players delivered memorable moments for fans last season as well as on the international stage Twotime Olympic medallist Shamsher Singh returns as a symbol of resilience and belief Jarmanpreet Singh will bring solidity to the defence fresh from playing a vital role in Indias Asia Cup 2025 triumph Varun Kumar a bronze medallist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will further strengthen the backline with his pace and aggressive tackling Rajkumar Pal offers a proven ability to stay calm under pressure a trait he showcased on multiple occasions including penalty shootout goals against Team Gonasika last season and against Great Britain at the last Olympics Argentine goalkeeper Tomas Santiago adds further pedigree between the postsSpeaking on the squads balance after the retention Sreejesh stated Retaining the core mens team was crucial Last season missing six key players disrupted our rhythm This time the retained squad knows each other well and brings the hunger and attitude needed for a strong season With Olympic medallists like Shamsher Jarman Rajkumar and Varun alongside hungry youngsters we have a balanced mix of experience and ambition The seniors will lead by example the juniors are eager to prove themselves and we will complete the squad thoughtfully with the expertise of our coachesThe Pipers will also benefit from the leadership of newly appointed mens team Head Coach Tim Oudenaller Oudenaller is widely regarded as one of Europes brightest coaching minds and boasts a proven track record of building successful squads in the Dutch Hoofdklasse and the Euro Hockey League Working in tandem with Sreejesh an icon of Indian Hockey the coaching and leadership group will provide both strategic vision and mentorship as the franchise prepares for the upcoming seasonLooking forward to coaching the team head coach Tim Oudenaller said The players we have retained will bring balance depth and ambition qualities that can take us far this season Together with the management I truly believe we have the foundation to challenge for the titleHaving set the tone with their early moves the Pipers now head into the HIL auction with clarity on what it will take to round off the squad IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sg-pipers-retain-17-mens-team-players-ahead-of-hockey-india-league-season-2-auction-638329.html Sat, 13 Sep 2025 19:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/womens-hockey-asia-cup-india-lose-1-4-against-hosts-china-in-super4-637930.html Hangzhou Sep 11 The Indian womens hockey team lost their second Super4s match 14 against hosts China at the Womens Asia Cup 2025 in Hangzhou on Thursday Mumtaz Khan 38 was the only goalscorer for India while Zou Meirong 4 56 Chen Yang 31 and Tan Jinzhuang 47 scored goals for China It was a lively first quarter with both sides attacking the circles and creating good opportunities however it was China who secured the opening goal early on In the 4th minute India did well to make a good save but the ball landed to Zou Meirong 4 on the rebound who tapped it into the empty net India made relentless attempts to equalise but werent clinical enough in front of goal India won their first penalty corner in the 10th minute but couldnt make it past the Chinese rushersThe second quarter too saw plenty of endtoend action but neither side could find the net In the last five minutes of the first half India increased the tempo of the game as they applied constant pressure on the Chinese defence and controlled possession in search of their first goal In the 27th minute India won another penalty corner to their name but that too didnt amount to a goal as they headed back into the break a goal behindIn the very first minute of the third quarter China increased their lead by scoring a fortunate goal as India gave away the ball in their own circle to an unmarked Chen Yang 31 in front of goal who scored with a simple finish China won their first penalty corner of the day but their attempt went wide away from the target In the 38th minute Mumtaz Khan 38 scored an incredible field goal for India to reduce the deficit Lalremsiami passed the ball to her at the edge of the circle from where she launched a powerful backhanded shot from distance to score Indias first goal Moments later Zou Meirong took a shot from close range on goal but Indias Bichu Devi showcased great reflexes to make a save and maintain the scorelineChina started the final quarter strong adding another goal to their tally They won a penalty corner in the 47th minute which was converted by Tan Jinzhuang 47 off a deflection from a defenders stick China secured another goal in the 56th minute courtesy of another field goal from Zou Meirong 56 to seal the fixture and progress into the final of the Womens Asia CupIndia will next play against Japan on Friday in their third match of the Super4s looking for a win to secure a spot in the final and clash again with hosts China for the coveted title IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/womens-hockey-asia-cup-india-lose-1-4-against-hosts-china-in-super4-637930.html Thu, 11 Sep 2025 20:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/unbeaten-indian-hockey-team-gears-up-for-super4s-challenge-at-womens-asia-cup--637340.html New Delhi Sep 9 The Indian Womens Hockey Team will look to continue their unbeaten run as they gear up for the Super4s stage of the ongoing Womens Asia Cup 2025 in Hangzhou India will face tough competition against hosts China defending champions Japan and Korea in this crucial phase of the tournamentIndia finished on top of Pool B with seven points from three games They began their campaign with a resounding 110 victory over Thailand followed by a thrilling 22 draw against Japan and wrapped up their Pool stage with an emphatic 120 win against SingaporeFor India forwards Navneet Kaur and Mumtaz Khan have been in stellar form scoring five goals each in the Pool stage and will be expected to continue their scoring touch as the team battles for a spot in the FinalThe Super4s stage will see each team India China Japan and Korea play against each other once The top two sides will qualify for the Final while the other two will play 3rd4th place match India will open their Super4s campaign against Korea on 10th September before taking on China on 11th September and Japan on 13th SeptemberIndia enter the Super4s on the back of strong momentum while Korea managed two wins and a loss in their Pool stage Significantly in their last five meetings India have held the upper hand with three wins while Korea have managed one victory and one match ended in a draw giving the Indian side a psychological edgeSpeaking ahead of the Super4s Indian Womens Hockey Team Coach Harendra Singh said We are pleased with the way the team has started the tournament The players have shown good intent maintained discipline and capitalised on our attacking opportunities The pool stage gave us a good platform to build momentum and test ourselves against different styles of play However the Super4s stage will be a different challenge altogether as we face strong opponents like Korea China and JapanOur focus will be on sticking to our structure being sharp in defence and making the most of our chances in front of goal We know that in this stage there is little room for error so consistency and composure will be key The players are motivated they understand the responsibility of wearing the Indian jersey and they are eager to continue the momentum If we play to our potential and trust our process I am confident we can achieve the results we are aiming for IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/unbeaten-indian-hockey-team-gears-up-for-super4s-challenge-at-womens-asia-cup--637340.html Tue, 09 Sep 2025 15:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/punjab-hockey-league-roundglass-academy-and-sai-sonipat-finish-phase-1-on-top-of-the-table-637414.html Mohali Sep 9 Roundglass Hockey Academy RGHA and Sports Authority of India National Centre of Excellence Sonipat continued their fine run finishing Phase I of the second edition of the Punjab Hockey League U 21 in first and second positions respectively with commanding victories at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium RGHA consolidated their top spot with 20 points from seven matches while SAI Sonipat remained in second with 18 points from the same number of matchesAt the end of Phase I Naval Tata Academy Jamshedpur remain in third place with 11 points as PIS Surjit Hockey Academy Jalandhar also maintained its fourth place in the table with 10 points Namdhari Hockey Academy occupy fifth place with 10 points and SDAT Hockey Academy 7 points SGPC Hockey Academy 5 points and Ghumanhera Risers Hockey Academy New Delhi 3 points occupy the remaining spotsRoundglass Hockey Academy completed a convincing 51 victory over Ghumahera Risers Hockey Academy New Delhi to remain unbeaten in Phase I Jobanpreet Singh started the scoring for RGHA in the fourth minute of the match but Ghumanhera Risers equalised through Prikshit in the 12th minute The New Delhi side kept the hosts on bay in the second quarter but a third quarter burst saw RGHA score four goals with Amandeep Singh converting two penalty corners a penalty stroke conversion by Japnit Singh and a field goal by Jarman Singh to ensure they came out comfortable winnersSAI Sonipat also had a convincing 60 victory over SGPC Hockey Academy Amritsar helped by a brace each from Happy Singh and Ankur Ror and goals from Ankush and Mithilesh Yadav to complete a convincing victory and keep challenging for the top spotIn the first match of the day SDAT Hockey Academy Tamil Nadu secured a bonus point after prevailing in the shootout against Naval Tata Hockey Academy Jamshedpur after both teams were locked 44 after regulation time S Vishal scored a hat trick for the side from the south but a brace from Ashish Tani Purti and goals from Ganga Topno and Mohit Nayak gave Naval Tata a 43 lead A penalty corner conversion in the 57th minute by S Krishnan for SDAT send the game into a shootout In the shootout SDAT goalkeeper S Karthikeyan pulled out four saves including a stroke as Mohit Nayak was the only player to convert for Naval Tata J Arun R Athiban and S Vishal converted their penalties for SDAT as they won the bonus point with a 32 win in the shootoutIn the final match of the day PIS Surjit Hockey Academy and Namdhari Hockey Academy played out a 11 draw Namdhari won a bonus point after winning the shootout 30Phase II of the league will start on September 15 at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar The semifinals will be played on September 26 and the finals on September 27 at the same venue IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/punjab-hockey-league-roundglass-academy-and-sai-sonipat-finish-phase-1-on-top-of-the-table-637414.html Tue, 09 Sep 2025 19:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/india-rout-singapore-12-0-to-seal-spot-in-super-4-of-womens-hockey-asia-cup-637139.html Hangzhou Sep 8 Indian womens hockey team sealed their place in the Super 4s of the Womens Asia Cup 2025 following a resounding 120 victory against Singapore here on Monday Hattricks from Navneet 14 20 28 and Mumtaz 2 32 39 along with a brace from Neha 11 38 led Indias attack while Lalremsiami 13 Udita 29 Sharmila 45 and Rutuja Pisal 53 made valuable contributions to cap a dominant victoryIndia got off to a strong start breaking the deadlock within the first two minutes Mumtaz Khan surged forward and unleashed a thunderous reverse stick shot from the top of the circle to open the scoringThe early pressure kept Singapore on the back foot and although they managed to fend off Indias first penalty corner in the eighth minute Neha doubled the advantage pouncing on a rebound in the 11th minute to slot it home with a deft touchTwo minutes later Lalremsiami added another from close range to stretch the lead to 30 Before the first quarter ended Navneet converted from a penalty corner in the 14th minute to make it 40While Singapore showed more resistance in the second quarter holding India at bay for much longer periods Navneet struck again with a powerful effort to make it 50 in the 20th minuteIndia continued to pile on the pressure winning a series of penalty corners and the third of them saw Navneet blast it past the goalkeeper to complete her hattrick and extend the lead in the 28th minuteSoon after Udita added another from a penalty corner with a composed finish giving India a commanding 70 lead at the halftime hooterIndia were firmly in control in the third quarter passing with precision and switching flanks at will In the 32nd minute Lalremsiami set up Mumtaaz with a sharp pass to make it 80 Two consecutive penalty corners unfolded for India and Neha stepped up to find the back of the net again in the 38th minuteMinutes later Mumtaz sounded the boards for a third time marking Indias second hattrick of the match At the end of the quarter India won their 12th penalty corner of the encounter Nehas fiery strike was saved but Sharmila pounced on the rebound to extend the lead to 110In the final quarter India kept up the pressure and Rutuja Pisal etched her name on the scoresheet with a slick deflection in the 53rd minute Singapore pushed hard in search of a consolation but they couldnt find a way through as India remained dominant and closed out the contest with authorityIndia will play the secondplaced team from Pool A in the Super 4s on September 10 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/india-rout-singapore-12-0-to-seal-spot-in-super-4-of-womens-hockey-asia-cup-637139.html Mon, 08 Sep 2025 16:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-asia-cup-india-women-kickstart-campaign-with-thumping-win-over-thailand-636619.html Hangzhou Sep 5 The Indian womens hockey team launched their Asia Cup 2025 journey in a dominating way as they defeated Thailand with a commanding scoreline of 110 in their Pool B fixture here on Friday Mumtaz Khan 7 49 Udita 30 52 and Beauty Dung Dung 45 54 scored two goals apiece for India while Sangita Kumari 10 Navneet Kaur 16 Lalremsiami 18 Sharmila Devi 57 and Rutuja Dadaso Pisal 60 also featured on the scoresheetIndia asserted their dominance early on with two field goals from Mumtaz Khan 7 and Sangita Kumari 10 in the first quarter The second quarter saw India further increasing their attacking intensity with three more goals to expand their advantageExperienced forward Navneet Kaur 16 and midfielder Lalremsiami 18 scored two backtoback field goals followed by a penalty corner conversion from Udita 30 to end the first half on a strong noteThe second half followed a similar trend with Indias constant attacks inside Thailands circle as they won four penalty corners in the third quarter through which Beauty Dung Dung 45 scored her first goal in the 45th minuteThe final quarter of the match saw India score five goals on the trot to seal a big win in their opening encounter Mumtaz Khan 49 Udita 52 and Sharmila Devi 57 scored through penalty corners while Beauty Dung Dung 54 and Rutuja Dadaso Pisal 60 scored field goals for their sideIndia will next face Japan on Saturday in their second Pool B fixtureThe top two from pool A and B each will advance to a Super 4s pool stage where the teams will compete in a secondary pool and get ranked from one to four The bottom two teams from each pool of the first pool stage will play for classifications and world ranking pointsThe winner of the womens competition will earn a coveted spot at the FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-asia-cup-india-women-kickstart-campaign-with-thumping-win-over-thailand-636619.html Fri, 05 Sep 2025 15:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-asia-cup-malaysia-korea-storm-into-super-4s-with-dominant-wins-635773.html Rajgir Sep 1 Malaysia and Korea sealed their berths in the Super 4 stage of the mens Asia Cup hockey tournament after registering emphatic wins in their respective Pool B matches on Monday Malaysia already the favourites in the group underlined their superiority with a staggering 150 demolition of Chinese Taipei Korea meanwhile brushed aside Bangladesh 51 to secure the second qualifying spot from the pool With three wins from as many outings Malaysia topped the pool with a maximum nine points Korea followed in second with six points while Bangladesh managed three points from their lone win Chinese Taipei endured a forgettable campaign ending without a single pointThe Malaysian juggernaut was powered by a flurry of goals from multiple scorers Ashran Hamsani was the star of the show netting four times in the 8th 15th 32nd and 54th minutes Akhimullah Anuar was equally impressive with a hattrick scoring in the 10th 20th 29th and 45th minutes Norsyafiq Sumantri also bagged a hattrick striking in the 20th 40th and 60th minutes Abu Azrai 22nd Andywalfian Effrynus 24th and Aiman Rozemi 32nd added to the tally as Malaysias relentless attack proved too much for Chinese Taipeis defenceEarlier in the day Korea faced a more competitive test against Bangladesh but still emerged as convincing winners Dain Son struck twice in quick succession 9th 11th minutes to put Korea in command Seungwoo Lee extended the lead in the 16th minute before Bangladesh pulled one back through Sohanur Sobujs fine effort in the 22nd However Korea restored their cushion almost immediately as Seyong Oh 22nd and Jihun Yang 60th sealed the victoryThe results confirmed the expected outcome from Pool B with Malaysia showcasing their attacking depth and Korea relying on their structured play Both teams will now carry strong momentum into the Super 4 stage where the competition is set to intensify with Asias heavyweights clashing for a spot in the final IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-asia-cup-malaysia-korea-storm-into-super-4s-with-dominant-wins-635773.html Mon, 01 Sep 2025 21:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-congratulates-krishan-pathak-on-completing-150-international-games-635470.html Rajgir Aug 31 Hockey India on Sunday congratulated mens team goalkeeper Krishan B Pathak on completing the milestone of 150 international caps The 28yearold who hails from Kapurthala Punjab achieved this remarkable feat during Indias second match of the ongoing Asia Cup against Japan here at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium India began their campaign with a thrilling 43 win over China riding on a hattrick by captain Harmanpreet Singh and a goal from Jugraj Singh and are now aiming to build on their winning momentumPathak known for his agility and consistency under the bar first rose to prominence as part of the Gold medalwinning Indian junior team at the FIH Junior World Cup 2016 in Lucknow He made his senior debut against Japan at the Four Nations Tournament in January 2018 and soon cemented his place in the squadSince then he has been part of several of Indias most celebrated triumphs including the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy Joint Gold with Pakistan the 2022 Asian Games Gold in Hangzhou and backtoback Asian Champions Trophy titles in 2023 and 2024His individual brilliance has also been widely recognisedhe is a twotime recipient of the Hockey India Baljit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year 2019 2022 and was honoured with the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2024Pathak became a mainstay in Indias defence during the FIH Mens Hockey Pro League 202021 and 202122 where his key saves secured India a podium finish He was also part of Indias squad which won a silver medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and participated at the FIH Odisha Mens Hockey World Cup 2023 in BhubaneswarRourkela Following the retirement of legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Pathak has been Indias trusted firstchoice goalkeeperKrishan B Pathak reflecting on his milestone said It is a very special moment for me and my family To represent India 150 times is a dream I could never have imagined when I first started playing hockey in Kapurthala Every cap is a matter of pride but this milestone feels extra special because it comes during such an important tournament for usI am grateful to my coaches teammates and everyone at Hockey India who believed in me and supported me throughout my journey My focus now is to keep contributing to the teams success and inspire the next generation of goalkeepers in IndiaCongratulating Pathak Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said Krishan has been one of the pillars of Indian hockey in recent years Goalkeeping is a demanding role and he has consistently delivered on the biggest stages His journey from the Junior World Cup in 2016 to becoming Indias firstchoice goalkeeper is an inspiring story for every young athlete On behalf of Hockey India I congratulate him on achieving 150 international caps and wish him many more milestones in the years to comeHockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh added We are extremely proud of Krishans achievements He has shown tremendous dedication resilience and passion for the sport His performances have played a big part in Indias success in recent years and he continues to be a role model for aspiring players Reaching 150 caps is not just a personal milestone but also a testament to his contribution to Indian hockey IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-congratulates-krishan-pathak-on-completing-150-international-games-635470.html Sun, 31 Aug 2025 16:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-asia-cup-india-defeat-japan-3-2-to-advance-to-super-4s-635494.html Rajgir Aug 31 The Indian mens team continued their winning form in the Asia Cup with a 32 victory against Japan in their second Pool A fixture at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium in Bihar on Sunday With this win India have secured a spot in the Super 4s stage as they progress ahead in the tournament Captain Harmanpreet Singh 5 46 and Mandeep Singh 4 scored goals for India while Kosei Kawabe 3859 scored a brace for Japan The match also marked an important milestone for Indian goalkeeper Krishan B Pathak as he celebrated his 150th international gameIndia made a bright start to the first quarter scoring two backtoback goals in the first five minutes to assert their dominance In the fourth minute Sukhjeet Singh collected the ball on the baseline and played a perfect pass to Mandeep Singh 4 as he beat his marker in front of the goal and finished it into the net to open the scoring In the very next minute India won their first Penalty Corner of the day and after two retakes captain Harmanpreet Singh 5 fired a powerful shot that struck the Japanese goalkeepers foot and went into the goal to increase the home sides lead Japan too won a Penalty Corner in the 13th minute however it didnt amount to anythingJapan improved upon their performance in the second quarter as we saw endtoend action between the two sides but Indias resilient defence ensured the lead remained intact In the 19th minute Japan came close to scoring as Ryosuke Shinohara dribbled down the middle and fired a backhand shot which went narrowly wide Japan won their 2nd Penalty Corner in the 24th minute but Jarmanpreet saved it on the line and cleared it away for a retake which was eventually stopped by India India won their 2nd Penalty Corner towards the end of the first half but Amit Rohidas couldnt find the target with his dragflickJapan found their first goal in the third quarter as Kosei Kawabe 38 did well to collect a difficult pass inside the circle and followed it with an angular shot finding the bottom right corner past the keeper After the goal Japan had a spring in their steps as they started attacking aggressively in search of an equaliser but India ensured their controlled the possession and tempo of the game to not give away another goal With just seconds left in the quarter India won a crucial Penalty Corner which was converted beautifully by Captain Harmanpreet Singh 46 through the goalkeepers legs to reclaim the twogoal cushion for IndiaIn the opening minutes of the final quarter Japan won a Penalty Corner but were met with two incredible backtoback saves by Indian goalkeeper Suraj Karkera Moments later Abhishek did well to find space inside the circle from the right as he struck a strong backhand shot towards goal but it was saved well by the Japanese keeper In the dying moments of the match Japans Kosei Kawabe 59 struck his second goal of the day as he won the ball on the rebound inside the circle and scored past the keeper to reduce the deficit Captain Harmanpreet Singh was given a yellow card in the final minute as India were down to 10 men but they slowed down the proceedings and held their ground to protect the slim lead and emerge victoriousIndia will aim to continue their winning momentum in their final Pool A clash against Kazakhstan on Monday IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-asia-cup-india-defeat-japan-3-2-to-advance-to-super-4s-635494.html Sun, 31 Aug 2025 19:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-indian-team-leaves-for-womens-asia-cup-in-china-635231.html Bengaluru Aug 30 The Indian womens team left for Hangzhou China on Saturday as the squad gears up for the upcoming Womens Asia Cup 2025 The 20member team is being led by captain Salima Tete who is looking to win the tournament to secure Indias spot for the FIH Womens Hockey World Cup 2026 next year Talking about the upcoming competition Salima said This tournament is a really good opportunity for us to secure our spot for the FIH Womens Hockey World Cup next year and we are focusing on that Our first priority at present is to top our Pool and reach the Super Fours From there we will take each game as it comes and make our way towards the trophy The squad features a balanced mix of youth and experience with goalkeepers Bansari Solanki and Bichu Devi Kharibam providing depth under the postThe defence unit will be marshalled by experienced players like Nikki Pradhan and Udita supported by youngsters Manisha Chauhan Jyoti Suman Devi Thoudam and Ishika ChaudharyIn the midfield the team boasts strong names such as Neha captain Salima Tete Lalremsiami Sharmila Devi Sunelita Toppo and Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke ensuring both creativity and stability The forward line includes a blend of seasoned campaigners and rising stars Navneet Kaur Sangita Kumari Mumtaz Khan Deepika Beauty Dungdung and Rutaja Dadaso PisalIndia have been drawn in Pool B and is scheduled to face Japan Thailand and Singapore in the group stage They will kick off their campaign against Thailand on September 5 followed by a clash against Japan on September 6 and will then play their final poolstage match against Singapore on September 8India have won the Womens Asia Cup twice first in 2004 and again in 2017 In the last edition of the event India finished third in the tournament IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-indian-team-leaves-for-womens-asia-cup-in-china-635231.html Sat, 30 Aug 2025 10:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-eye-world-cup-berth-in-depleted-asia-cup-2025-634950.html Rajgir Bihar Aug 28 On a day on which Indias and world hockeys greatest player was born the country will launch its bid to gain a direct entry into next years senior mens hockey World Cup by winning the Asia Cup 2025 here August 29 which is celebrated in India as the National Sports Day is the birth anniversary of the legendary Dhyan Chand who won three gold medals in the 1928 1932 and 1936 Olympics and is still considered the greatest player that has ever played the game the Wizard of Hockey who possessed mesmerising skills and displayed icecool nerves on the fieldIt could not have been a better day to inspire India to score a big win in their attempt to dominate the prestigious Continental championship the winner of which will bag a direct berth in the World CupThe Indian mens hockey team is gearing up to begin its campaign on August 29 in a bid to reclaim the crown that it won in 2017 Indias task has been made easy by the absence of archrival Pakistan which has pulled out of the event because of concerns about the safety of its playersThe Mens Asia Cup has been one of the most prestigious events in Asian hockey with defending champions South Korea being the most successful team with five titles while India runs second with three In the last edition India finished third as it drew its SemiFinal game against South Korea who went ahead on a better goal differenceIndia are drawn in Pool A alongside China Japan and Kazakhstan The team will open their campaign against China on August 29 followed by a clash against Japan on August 31 before concluding the group stage against Kazakhstan on September 1 Pool B consists of South Korea Malaysia Bangladesh and Indonesia The top two teams from each pool will advance to the Super 4s and the winner will earn automatic World Cup qualificationIndia is coming into the tournament after a disappointing FIH Hockey Pro League European Leg however being the highestranked Asian country 7th in the world and playing in front of a home crowd India is a serious contender for the titleSpeaking about the teams preparations Coach Craig Fulton said Our preparation has been thorough The camp in Perth gave us the right intensity with tough training sessions and competitive matches that sharpened both our physical and tactical readiness The group is training and playing with real purpose and we feel ready for the challenge aheadWhen asked about the teams expectations he responded Our expectation is very clear to win the Asia Cup and secure qualification for the World Cup That is our main goal We know it will be a tough competition with quality opposition but we believe in the work weve done and in the strength of this squad If we play to our standards stay consistent and execute well we can achieve what we set out to doCaptain Harmanpreet Singh spoke on similar lines and stated The preparations have been good We achieved a lot in the camp and have done a lot of work as a team Even our recent tour in Australia has been very useful for us because Asian teams too play mantoman in a similar way to the AussiesAny opponent we play we view them as a strong team and I believe all the teams participating are good Our mindset is to make sure that we play smartly maintain our structure and do our best This is the energy in the dressing room and this is our plan he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-eye-world-cup-berth-in-depleted-asia-cup-2025-634950.html Fri, 29 Aug 2025 00:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-asia-cup-two-time-bronze-medalist-china-touchdown-in-bihar-634133.html Rajgir Aug 25 The China Mens Hockey Team arrived in Bihar on Monday afternoon to compete in the Mens Asia Cup Rajgir Bihar 2025 scheduled from August 29 to September 7 at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium China a twotime bronze medalist at the Asia Cup with podium finishes in 1982 and 2009 will be determined to go a step further this time and change the colour of their medalBacked by a blend of discipline strategic execution and growing confidence the team enters the tournament with a clear ambition to challenge Asias best and showcase their rising stature in world hockeyCurrently ranked 23rd in the FIH World Rankings China have been placed in Pool A alongside hosts India Japan and Kazakhstan They will begin their campaign with a challenging opener against India on August 29 followed by a contest against Kazakhstan on August 31 In their final Pool fixture China will take on Japan on September 1Upon the teams arrival China captain Chongcong Chen said We are truly delighted to be in Rajgir for the very first time The welcome we have received here has been wonderful We are really looking forward to competing at our best and showcasing our game to the fansHe added Ours is a young team but we have great confidence in our skills our preparation and our spirit We are determined to fight for the Gold and make a mark in this competitionWe know that a World Cup berth is at stake and that makes the tournament even more important But it makes no difference in our approach as our mindset is very clear to give our absolute best in every match stay focused on our strategies and strive for excellence with consistency If we remain committed to that approach the results will take care of themselves Chen concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-asia-cup-two-time-bronze-medalist-china-touchdown-in-bihar-634133.html Mon, 25 Aug 2025 20:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/mansukh-mandaviya-unveils-hockey-asia-cup-2025-trophy-634170.html New Delhi Aug 26 Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday unveiled the glittering Hockey Mens Asia Cup 2025 trophy here marking the countdown to the tournaments 12th edition scheduled to be held from August 29 to September 7 at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium in Bihar The Rajgir edition is set to be historic being the first major international hockey tournament hosted in Bihar adding to the growing sporting stature of the stateAlso present on the occasion of the trophy unveiling on Monday evening were Harbinder Singh threetime Olympic medallist Ashok Dhyanchand bronze medallist at the 1972 and the 1975 World Cup winner Zafar Iqbal gold medallist at the 1980 Moscow Olympics as well as officials from the Bihar State Government and Hockey IndiaThis years Asia Cup will also serve as a direct qualifier for the 2026 FIH Mens Hockey World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium The tournament winner will secure an automatic berth while the teams finishing second to sixth will proceed to next years World Cup qualifiersHosts India arrived in Bihar on Sunday They had won the bronze medal in the previous edition held in Jakarta where a young team with 15 debutants showed heart in their campaign by finishing on the podiumThis time however with the World Cup qualification at stake India has brought their best squad to the campaign and will be looking to showcase their A game in RajgirUpon arriving this afternoon fresh from highintensity friendly matches against Australia in Perth Chief Coach Craig Fulton expressed his delight over playing in Bihar for the first timeWe are very happy to arrive in Bihar for this prestigious tournament It is great that international hockey is being hosted here and we want to inspire the people of this region with our game and create more fans for the sport Fulton stated IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/mansukh-mandaviya-unveils-hockey-asia-cup-2025-trophy-634170.html Mon, 25 Aug 2025 23:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/defending-champions-korea-arrive-in-bihar-for-mens-hockey-asia-cup-634006.html Rajgir Aug 25 The Korea mens hockey team touched down in Bihar ahead of the prestigious Mens Hockey Asia Cup in Rajgir which is scheduled to be played from August 28 to September 7 Led by captain Jongsuk Bae the defending champions will be aiming to retain their crown in this edition of the tournament Notably Korea remain the most successful nation in the history of the Mens Asia Cup having clinched the title a record five times with their most recent triumph coming in 2022 In the previous edition held in Jakarta they lifted the trophy after edging past Malaysia 21 in a thrilling finalCurrently ranked 13th in the FIH World Rankings Korea have been drawn into Pool B alongside Malaysia Bangladesh and Chinese Taipei They will open their campaign against Chinese Taipei on August 29 followed by a crucial clash with Malaysia on August 30 before rounding off their Pool stage with a match against Bangladesh on September 1After the teams arrival Korea captain Jongsuk Bae said This is our first tournament in Rajgir and the welcome we have received here has been truly heartwarming The hospitality and excitement of the people have already made this tournament feel very special for us I am really happy to be here and grateful for the warm welcome we gotSpeaking on the teams chances of defending the title Bae stated It is hard to say with certainty that we will defend the title because every team here is strong and the competition will be tough But what I can promise is that we will give our absolute best on the field stay true to the way we have prepared and play with full commitment and fighting spirit Our goal is to turn all the hard work we have put in during training into strong performances and hopefully we will finish this tournament with a very positive outcomeOf course the stakes are high because a World Cup berth is on the line and with that comes a lot of pressure But instead of letting it weigh us down we are channeling that pressure in a positive way It motivates us to push harder stay focused and give everything on turf he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/defending-champions-korea-arrive-in-bihar-for-mens-hockey-asia-cup-634006.html Mon, 25 Aug 2025 12:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-asia-cup-eyes-on-the-title-indian-mens-hockey-team-arrives--634096.html Rajgir Aug 25 Bronze medallists at the last two Olympics and the current Asia No 1 Indian mens hockey team arrived in Patna Bihar on Monday for the Asia Cup 2025 in Rajgir Bihar India had won the bronze medal in the previous edition held in Jakarta Indonesia where a young team with 15 debutants showed heart in their campaign by finishing on the podium This time however with the World Cup qualification at stake India has brought their best squad to the campaign and will be looking to showcase their A game in RajgirUpon arriving this afternoon fresh from highintensity friendly matches against Australia in Perth Chief coach Craig Fulton expressed his delight over playing in Bihar for the first time We are very happy to arrive in Bihar for this prestigious tournament It is great that international hockey is being hosted here and we want to inspire the people of this region with our game and create more fans for the sport Fulton statedSpeaking about the importance of this tournament Fulton said The teams preparations have been solid for this tournament Our approach will be similar to that of the Paris Olympics where we began with good wins in the pool stage We want to start well here take it gamebygame build on our momentum and we are cognisant that its been eight years since India last won the title in 2017 Dhaka While we are confident of winning we dont want to take any team lightlyCaptain Harmanpreet Singh reflected similar emotions He said We have never played in Bihar and its exciting to see that Rajgir is already hosting its second international hockey tournament within a span of one year This shows the governments intent to support the game and we are looking forward to the love and support of hockey fans here throughout the tournamentIndia is grouped in Pool A along with Japan China and Kazakhstan while Pool B features Malaysia Korea Bangladesh and Chinese Taipei IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-asia-cup-eyes-on-the-title-indian-mens-hockey-team-arrives--634096.html Mon, 25 Aug 2025 18:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/malaysia-first-team-to-arrive-for-hockey-asia-cup-633700.html Rajgir Aug 23 Malaysia arrived in Patna Bihar on Saturday morning for the prestigious Asia Cup Rajgir Bihar 2025 Malaysia were the finalists in the previous edition held in Jakarta where they lost the title match to Korea 12 but this time the Captain expressed that the team is here to win It is very exciting to be here in Rajgir We look forward to having a good tournament and we have prepared well Hosts India will be a tough team to beat because they have played so many top teams in Pro League and have the right experience and exposure in international hockey expressed the expressed Marhan JalilFurther he added that the defending champions Korea will also be a team to watch out for Korea will also be a good team to watch out for We played them earlier this year and they are looking sharp In all we look forward to a good tournament and our first aim will be to make it to the Super 4s Jalil added Expressing his delight over a warm welcome Head Coach Sarjit Kundan said Firstly we are grateful for the warm welcome and we are happy to be here early and get a few warmup gamesWe are a young team building towards 2028 Olympics and most important for us is the Asian Games next year I am hopeful they will play well Before the Nations Cup we travelled to Australia and Korea After this we have the Sultan Azlan Shah with all good teams going to be there In this tournament we just want to play well We are ranked No2 in the event and hopefully we are in the podium Malaysia will play the opening match of the tournament on 29th August against Bangladesh They are grouped in Pool B along with Korea Bangladesh and Chinese Taipei while Pool A features India Japan China and Kazakhstan IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/malaysia-first-team-to-arrive-for-hockey-asia-cup-633700.html Sat, 23 Aug 2025 11:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-mens-hockey-nationals-haryana-beat-odisha-to-clinch-title-633795.html Jalandhar Aug 23 Hockey Haryana emerged as champions of the 15th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2025 defeating Hockey Association of Odisha 32 in Jalandhar Punjab Hockey Punjab won their 3rd4th place match against Uttar Pradesh Hockey 43 in a shootout after a 33 draw over the four quarters to clinch the bronze medalIn the final both sides couldnt be separated initially as they exchanged possession but failed to find an opening goal In the second quarter Hockey Association of Odisha showcased brilliant skill by converting two successive penalty corners courtesy of Deepak Pradhan 17 and Pratap Toppo 19 to take a comfortable lead in the final The scores remained the same in the third quarter but Hockey Haryana turned the game on its head in the final quarter of the matchChirag 50 scored his sides first goal through a penalty corner and in the very next minute his teammate Nitin 51 60 scored a field goal to level the game Moments later in the final minute of the match Nitin skillfully dribbled past two defenders and fired a shot from distance to score the winning goal for Hockey Haryana and claim the championshipIn the 3rd4th place match Uttar Pradesh Hockey scored early in the first quarter as Satyam Pandey 8 converted a penalty corner to open the scoring Hockey Punjab replied with two goals in the second quarter by Lovenoor Singh 21 and Japnit Singh 28 59 to take the leadThe third quarter saw the tide shift to Uttar Pradesh Hockey as Ujjwal Pal 48 and Fahad Khan 57 scored to take the lead again In the last minute Hockey Punjabs Japnit Singh scored a penalty stroke to push the game into a shootout Charanjeet Singh Lovenoor Singh Om Rajnesh Saini and Sunny were the goalscorers for Hockey Punjab in the shootout to finish on third in the tournament IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-mens-hockey-nationals-haryana-beat-odisha-to-clinch-title-633795.html Sat, 23 Aug 2025 20:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-salima-tete-to-lead-indian-team-in-womens-asia-cup-in-china-633279.html New Delhi Aug 21 Hockey India on Thursday announced the 20member squad for the upcoming Womens Asia Cup 2025 scheduled to be held from September 5 to 14 in Hangzhou China The squad which will be led by Salima Tete features a balanced mix of youth and experience with goalkeepers Bansari Solanki and Bichu Devi Kharibam providing depth under the postThe defence unit will be marshalled by experienced players like Nikki Pradhan and Udita supported by youngsters Manisha Chauhan Jyoti Suman Devi Thoudam and Ishika ChaudharyIn the midfield the team boasts strong names such as Neha captain Salima Tete Lalremsiami Sharmila Devi Sunelita Toppo and Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke ensuring both creativity and stability The forward line includes a blend of seasoned campaigners and rising stars Navneet Kaur Sangita Kumari Mumtaz Khan Deepika Beauty Dungdung and Rutaja Dadaso PisalSpeaking on the squad chief coach Harendra Singh said We are excited about the squad we have selected for the Womens Asia Cup in Hangzhou The group has been training with great intensity and we have tried to strike the right balance between experienced campaigners and young talent Our focus will be on playing an aggressive and disciplined brand of hockey and we believe this team has the capability to compete strongly against the best in AsiaHe added The Womens Asia Cup is not only a prestigious continental championship but also a direct qualifying event for the 2026 FIH Womens Hockey World Cup With the winner earning an automatic berth the stakes are extremely high Every match will test our composure fitness and tactical execution The players are motivated to rise to the occasion and we are confident of delivering performances that make India proudThe tournament holds added significance as the winner of the Womens Asia Cup will earn a direct qualification for the FIH Womens Hockey World Cup 2026 making it a crucial event in the international hockey calendarIndia have been drawn in Pool B where they will face Japan Thailand and Singapore The team will open their campaign against Thailand on September 5 followed by a clash with Japan on September 6 India will play their final poolstage match against Singapore on September 8 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-salima-tete-to-lead-indian-team-in-womens-asia-cup-in-china-633279.html Thu, 21 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/india-unveil-harmanpreet-led-strong-squad-for-hockey-mens-asia-cup-633059.html New Delhi Aug 20 Hockey India on Wednesday announced the 18member squad for the upcoming Mens Asia Cup scheduled to be held at the recently developed Rajgir Hockey Stadium in Bihar from August 29 to September 7 Veteran dragflicker Harmanpreet Singh will continue to serve as captain in the continental tournament The squad overall features a strong group of experienced campaigners with depth and balance across all departments As a qualifier for the FIH Hockey World Cup BelgiumNetherlands 2026 the tournament places India in Pool A with Japan China and Kazakhstan India will begin their campaign against China on August 29 before facing Japan on August 31 and Kazakhstan on September 1The goalkeeping duties will be shared by the dependable Krishan B Pathak and Suraj Karkera In defence captain Harmanpreet and Amit Rohidas will be joined by Jarmanpreet Singh Sumit Sanjay and Jugraj Singh providing solidity at the backThe midfield engine room comprises Manpreet Singh Vivek Sagar Prasad Rajinder Singh Raj Kumar Pal and Hardik Singh Leading the attack the forward line will be spearheaded by Mandeep Singh Abhishek Sukhjeet Singh Shilanand Lakra and Dilpreet Singh offering plenty of firepower to trouble opposition defencesMeanwhile Nilam Sanjeep Xess and Selvam Karthi have been named as alternate athletesSpeaking on the team selection coach Craig Fulton said Weve gone with an experienced squad that understands what it takes to perform in highpressure situations The Asia Cup is crucial for us because qualification for the World Cup is at stake so we needed players who have the composure resilience and knowhow to deliver The selection reflects our intent to put forward a team that can compete strongly and achieve our main objectiveIm very pleased with the balance and quality across the squad We have leaders in every line defence midfield and attack and that collective strength is what excites me the most I think the way this team can play together will be our strongest asset he addedGoalkeepers Krishan B Pathak Suraj KarkeraDefenders Sumit Jarmanpreet Singh Sanjay Harmanpreet Singh Amit Rohidas Jugraj SinghMidfielders Rajinder Singh Raj Kumar Pal Hardik Singh Manpreet Singh Vivek Sagar PrasadForwards Mandeep Singh Shilanand Lakra Abhishek Sukhjeet Singh Dilpreet SinghAlternate athletes Nilam Sanjeep Xess and Selvam Karthi IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/india-unveil-harmanpreet-led-strong-squad-for-hockey-mens-asia-cup-633059.html Wed, 20 Aug 2025 14:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-men-hockey-nationals-chandigarh-delhi-secure-promotion-to-division-a-632370.html Jalandhar Aug 17 Day 6 of the 15th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship featured two Division B and four Division A matches Hockey Association of Bihar and Hockey Bengal won their respective matches as Division B came to a conclusion Hockey Chandigarh and Delhi have won Pool A and Pool B respectively and are promoted to Division A for the next year while Hockey Himachal and Assam Hockey have been relegated to Division C Hockey Association of Odisha Hockey Haryana Uttar Pradesh Hockey and Hockey Punjab won their Division A matches of the day in Jalandhar Punjab In the first Division B match of the day Hockey Association of Bihar defeated Assam Hockey 43 in Pool B Nandlal Shah 18 47 scored a brace along with goals from Md Alishan Ahmad 1 and Ranjan Kumar 6 for Hockey Association of Bihar Sadique Ahmed 6 Ashish Kumar 26 and Rohan Ekka 57 were the three scorers for Assam HockeyIn the last match of Division B Hockey Bengal enjoyed a comfortable 41 win over Hockey Uttarakhand Bijay Shaw 3 Captain Prince Gabriyal Dhan 7 Aman Kumar Thakur 36 and Karan Shaw 37 scored goals for Hockey Bengal while Naveen Prasad 60 scored a late and only goal for Hockey UttarakhandIn the first Division A fixture of the day Hockey Association of Odisha won against Hockey Karnataka in Pool D with a narrow scoreline of 21 Nitesh Sharma 37 scored the opening goal of the game for Hockey Karnataka but Ritik Lakra 50 and Aryan Xess 51 scored backtoback goals in the final quarter to help Hockey Association of Odisha win three points in their first match of the tournamentIn the next Division A match Hockey Haryana registered a dominant 50 victory over Manipur Hockey in Pool C Sunil 15 Chirag 27 Navraj Singh 50 Rahul 56 and Ansh Kamboj 59 were the goalscorers for Hockey HaryanaIn the next fixture of the day Uttar Pradesh Hockey defeated Hockey Jharkhand 20 in Pool B Ujjwal Pal 26 scored from a penalty corner in the second quarter followed by a field goal from Satyam Pandey 32 in the third quarter to seal the win for Uttar Pradesh HockeyIn the final Division A match of the day Hockey Punjab enjoyed a slim 32 win over Hockey Madhya Pradesh in Pool A Om Rajnesh Saini 3 Lovenoor Singh 14 and Japnit Singh 41 scored goals for Hockey Punjab Mohd Anas 19 and Sohil Ali 39 scored the two goals for Hockey Madhya Pradesh IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-men-hockey-nationals-chandigarh-delhi-secure-promotion-to-division-a-632370.html Sun, 17 Aug 2025 19:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-men-hockey-nationals-to-kick-off-on-tuesday-in-jalandhar-631420.html New Delhi Aug 11 The 15th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2025 is set to kick off on Tuesday in Jalandhar Punjab The tournament will run until August 23 and will follow the new divisionbased format which has already been introduced and implemented in the Senior and Sub Junior Mens and Womens and the Junior Womens National Championships earlier this year The 30 participating teams are split into Division A Division B and Division C with promotion and relegation adding an extra edge to the competition The teams in Division A will be fighting for the title while the top two teams from Divisions B and C will earn promotion to the next tier The bottom two sides in Divisions A and B will face relegation to the next division for 2026Division A features the countrys 12 best junior mens sides including defending champions Hockey Punjab runnersup Hockey Uttar Pradesh and thirdplaced Hockey Haryana Pool matches begin on August 16 leading to the quarterfinals semifinals and the final from August 20 to 23 The teams are divided into the following poolsPool A Hockey Punjab Hockey Madhya Pradesh Hockey Unit of Tamil NaduPool B Uttar Pradesh Hockey Hockey Jharkhand Hockey MaharashtraPool C Hockey Haryana Manipur Hockey Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu HockeyPool D Hockey Karnataka Hockey Association of Odisha Hockey Andhra PradeshDivision B will feature league matches only with the top two ranked teams being promoted to Division A and the last two relegated to Division C Matches will run from August 12 to 16 The teams are divided into the following two poolsPool A Hockey Mizoram Hockey Himachal Hockey Chandigarh Hockey Jammu amp Kashmir Hockey ArunachalPool B Hockey Association of Bihar Delhi Hockey Uttarakhand Hockey Bengal Assam HockeyDivision C will also be played in a league format with teams divided into two pools of four teams each with the top two ranked teams being promoted to Division B Matches will take place from August 12 to 15 The teams are divided into the following poolsPool A Kerala Hockey Le Puducherry Hockey Telangana Hockey Tripura HockeyPool B Chhattisgarh Hockey Hockey Raj Hockey Gujarat Goans HockeyAcross all three divisions teams will earn 3 points for a win 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a lossHockey India President Dr Dilip Tirkey said Junior tournaments are extremely crucial for the future of Indian hockey The young players will learn a lot playing in this format as we will see a different level of competitiveness among teams across all divisions as they battle for promotion and the championship title I wish all the players good luck and am looking forward to seeing how the tournament shapes up aheadHockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh spoke on similar lines and stated The Junior Men National Championships are an important event in our calendar giving young players valuable match experience and exposure We are confident that this years tournament will showcase strong performances and continue to contribute to the growth of the sport at the grassroots level IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-men-hockey-nationals-to-kick-off-on-tuesday-in-jalandhar-631420.html Mon, 11 Aug 2025 13:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-mens-hockey-team-leaves-for-crucial-four-match-series-in-australia-630865.html Bengaluru Aug 8 The Indian mens hockey team departed for Australia in the early hours of Friday from Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru as they gear up for a crucial fourmatch series against the hosts The series set to take place at the Perth Hockey Stadium from August 15 to 21 will serve as vital preparation for the upcoming Hero Asia Cup 2025 scheduled in Rajgir Bihar later this month The tour is expected to provide the team with valuable match exposure against one of the worlds topranked sides allowing the coaching staff to finetune combinations and assess player form ahead of the continental tournamentIndian mens hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh speaking ahead of departure said Playing Australia in their home conditions is always a great challenge and thats exactly what we need at this stage of our preparations Were treating this series as a key part of our buildup to the Asia Cup The focus is on improving as a unit pushing ourselves against strong opposition and building the momentum we need going into RajgirThe mood in the camp has been really positive Weve had a good training block and now its time to translate that onto the field These matches will help us identify areas we need to sharpen before the Asia Cup and were excited for the opportunity to play highintensity hockey against AustraliaIndia will play four matches on August 15 16 19 and 21 The squad features a mix of experienced players and emerging talent and will continue to be monitored closely as the final group for the Asia Cup is finalised IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-mens-hockey-team-leaves-for-crucial-four-match-series-in-australia-630865.html Fri, 08 Aug 2025 12:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/legendary-cricketer-kapil-dev-meets-dilip-tirkey-lauds-rise-of-indian-hockey-talent-630785.html New Delhi Aug 7 Legendary cricketer and 1983 World Cupwinning captain Kapil Dev met with Hockey India president and former decorated Indian hockey player Dilip Tirkey today in New Delhi During the interaction Kapil Dev applauded the sports resurgence in India and praised the emergence of promising young talent across the country Speaking after the meeting Kapil Dev said It was truly heartening to catch up with Dr Dilip Tirkey and speak about the incredible strides Indian hockey has made in recent years The speed fitness and skill level of todays players are simply outstanding Its clear that the game has evolved tremendously and whats most exciting is the pool of young talent emerging from every corner of the country The contributions of the Odisha Government to the development of hockey cant go unnoticed Indian hockey is in great hands and heading in the right directionHockey India president Dilip Tirkey expressed his appreciation for the support from one of Indias most respected sporting icons and stated Meeting legendary Kapil Dev who is also President of PGTI is always specialhe is a true icon of Indian sport His encouraging words about hockeys resurgence and the rise of new talent mean a lot to our entire hockey fraternity Its inspiring to see legends from other sports acknowledge and support our journey We are committed to building on this momentum and taking Indian hockey to even greater heightsHockey India will be organising the Mens Asia Cup tournament later this month in Rajgir Bihar with a qualifying spot in the next years World Cup in the offingKapil Dev who started playing golf after retiring from cricket is currently President of the Professional Golf Tour of India PGTI the body that conducts all the competitions for professional players in the country and is also associated with top international tours around the world IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/legendary-cricketer-kapil-dev-meets-dilip-tirkey-lauds-rise-of-indian-hockey-talent-630785.html Thu, 07 Aug 2025 23:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-women-national-hockey-cship-gujarat-mizoram-dadra-amp-nagar-haveli-win-on-day-4-630067.html Kakinada Aug 4 Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey Gujarat and Hockey Mizoram won their respective matches in Division C while Manipur Hockey Assam Hockey Hockey Himachal and Hockey Association of Bihar won their respective matches in Division B on the fourth day of the 15th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship here on Monday The day started with Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey defeating Jammu and Kashmir 60 in Division C with Khursheed Zainab 35 56 57 scoring a hattrick and Janiel Shihangiya 49 Nandniben Nandubhai Dulsada 47 and Radhika Dandotiya 44 scoring a goal each for Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu HockeyIn the next match Hockey Gujarat defeated Rajasthan in a close 32 encounter with Purva Adroja 53 Parmar Puriben 19 and Pooja Dihora 35 scoring for Hockey Gujarat while Gayatri Mahavar 21 and captain Sakshi Sharma 47 scored for RajThe final Division C match saw a dominating performance by Hockey Mizoram as they defeated Telangana Hockey 150 Anjana Xaxa 32 38 45 46 48 scored five goals for Hockey Mizoram followed by Zothanmawii 3 19 40 50 who scored four goals Z Laldintluangi 16 18 49 who scored a three goals and FLalbiaksiami 22 Lalremruati 21 and C Malsawmzeli 19 who scored a goal eachMeanwhile in the first Division B match Manipur Hockey defeated Le Puducherry Hockey 91 with Ritu Devi Laishram 5 25 46 47 scoring four goals captain Romita Waribam Chanu 45 59 scoring two goals and Kangjam Silvia Chanu 56 Devi Mutum Priya 28 and Devi Thokchom Dainali 55 scoring a goal each for Manipur Hockey The lone goal for Le Puducherry was scored by Dhivyasri 24The next match saw Assam Hockey defeat Hockey Kerala 51 with Ashmita Tigga 10 4149 scoring a hattrick of goals and Reshma Jagat 12 and captain Sumitra Swargiari 42 scoring a goal each for Assam Hockey while Shanusha P M 58 scored the lone goal for Hockey KeralaThe second last match saw Hockey Himachal defeat Delhi 71 with Khushi Verma 2760 Reemu Devi 38 59 and Mitali Sharma 6 42 scoring two goals each for their team The seventh goal for Hockey Himachal was scored by Bhoomi 11 Meanwhile Nisha 32 was the lone scorer for DelhiThe final match of the day saw Hockey Association of Bihar defeat Hockey Arunachal 10 with Akansha Yadav 43 scoring the lone goal of the match and sealing the game for Hockey Association of Bihar IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-women-national-hockey-cship-gujarat-mizoram-dadra-amp-nagar-haveli-win-on-day-4-630067.html Tue, 05 Aug 2025 00:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-men-national-cship-up-punjab-jharkhand-mp-reach-semis-630254.html Chennai Aug 5 Uttar Pradesh Punjab Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh advance as the final four into the quarterfinals of the 15th Hockey India Subjr Men National Championship 2025 at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium here on Tuesday Uttar Pradesh Hockey will meet Hockey Punjab while Hockey Jharkhand face Hockey Madhya Pradesh in Wednesdays semifinal clashes In the first fixture of the day Uttar Pradesh Hockey secured a 41 win over Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey Ali Shahrukh 6 23 continued his fine form with a brace while Rajbhar Prahalad 42 and Mohd Atif Raynee 58 also got on the scoresheet Captain Dhiraj Pal 39 pulled one back for Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu In a highscoring contest Hockey Punjab edged past the Hockey Association of Odisha 43 to book their place in the semifinals Odishas captain Mandeep Kerketta 10 27 41 put his side ahead early and went on to complete a hattrick Captain Arshdeep Singh 14 levelled the scores early for Punjab before Varinder Singh 39 Anurag Singh 42 and Sukhdev Singh 58 sealed the victory Hockey Jharkhand defeated Hockey Chandigarh 130 in an impressive display Hemrom Tintus 18 30 44 45 60 led the charge with five goals supported by Sabian Kiros hattrick 1 22 37 and Hassa Patrass brace 5 9 Ganga Topno 49 Ashish Tani Purti 53 and Anish Dungdung 57 also found the net In the final match of the day Hockey Madhya Pradesh went past Hockey Haryana 21 to advance Karan Gautam 26 opened the scoring for Madhya Pradesh before Aashir Aadil Khan 33 doubled the advantage Haryana pulled one back through Sachin 38 but Madhya Pradesh held firm to close out the win Earlier on Day 5 Chhattisgarh Hockey won 62 against Hockey Bengal Manipur Hockey defeated Hockey Himachal 60 in Division B Uttar Pradesh Hockey defeated Delhi 101 Hockey Association of Odisha won 51 against Hockey Maharashtra Hockey Punjab defeated Hockey Karnataka 100 and Hockey Haryana won 30 against Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu Chhattisgarh Hockey Manipur Hockey Uttar Pradesh Hockey Hockey Association of Odisha Hockey Punjab and Hockey Haryana qualified for the quarterfinals IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-men-national-cship-up-punjab-jharkhand-mp-reach-semis-630254.html Tue, 05 Aug 2025 21:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-women-hockey-nationals-manipur-kerala-and-delhi-emerge-winners-on-day-2-629677.html Kakinada Aug 2 The second day of the 15th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship once again saw few dominating performances in Division C matches with Goans Hockey Hockey Mizoram and Raj winning their respective matches in the first half of the day Meanwhile Manipur Hockey Hockey Kerala and Delhi won their respective Division B matches while Hockey Himachal drew with Hockey Unit of Tamil NaduIn the first Division C match of the day Goans Hockey defeated Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey 40 with Priyanka Balmik 10 25 Prachi Parshuram Yadav 4 and Rashi Suryavanshi 59 scoring for Goans HockeyIn the next Division C match Hockey Mizoram defeated Hockey Gujarat 90 with Anjana Xaxa 8 26 28 32 scoring 4 goals Z Laldintluangi 5 10 52 getting a hattrick and Zothanmawii 16 and C Malsawmzeli 56 getting a goal each for their teamIn the final Division C match of the day Raj defeated Telangana Hockey 61 Mahavar Gayatri 9 24 25 60 of Raj scored four goals for her team while captain Sakshi Sharma 40 56 scored the remaining two goals The lone goal for Telangana Hockey was scored by Chithuru Sandeep Raj Bhavishya 12In the first Division B match Manipur Hockey won 20 against Hockey Uttarakhand two goals for Manipur Hockey were scored by Priya Devi Mutum 38 and Eleena Devi Keisam 55The next match saw Hockey Kerala defeat Le Puducherry Hockey 42 with Hockey Kerala captain Devipriya K S 21 44 59 soring a hattrick and one goal being scored by Lekshmi D 4 Meanwhile Dhivyasri 28 and Hemalatha 33 scored for Le Puducherry HockeyThe secondtolast match of the day saw a 22 draw between Hockey Himachal and Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu Khushi Verma 15 and Bhoomi 19 scored for Hockey Himachal while Priyadharsini K 22 and Subalakshmi L 34 scored for Hockey Unit of Tamil NaduThe final match of the day saw Delhi defeat Hockey Arunachal 42 with Delhis Nisha 2 Dipika 18 Anshika 41 and captain Subham 37 scoring for Delhi while Lokam Loni 48 and Birang Hassa 60 scoring for Hockey Arunachal IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-women-hockey-nationals-manipur-kerala-and-delhi-emerge-winners-on-day-2-629677.html Sat, 02 Aug 2025 19:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-women-hockey-nationals-30-teams-set-to-participate-across-three-divisions-in-kakinada-629188.html New Delhi July 31 The 15th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship is set to begin on August 1 in Kakinada Andhra Pradesh The tournament will run until August 12 and will follow the newly introduced divisionbased format which has been implemented earlier this year for the Senior and Sub Junior Men and Womens National Championships It features 30 teams divided into three divisions Division A Division B and Division C with the bottom teams in Division A and B being relegated to Division B and Division C respectively and the top two teams of Division B and Division C being promoted to Division A and Division B next yearDivision A of the Womens Junior National Championship comprises the top 12 teams in the country and will feature defending champions Hockey Jharkhand in Pool A last years runnersup Hockey Madhya Pradesh in Pool B and second runnersup Hockey Haryana in Pool C Meanwhile Division B and Division C will comprise teams that are not in the top 12 national rankings fighting to climb the ranks and make it to a higher division for next years National ChampionshipDivision format amp pool compositionDivision A Toptier Championship Division Teams will compete for the title and the 11th and 12thranked teams will be relegated to Division B Matches for Division A will start on August 5Pool A Hockey Jharkhand Chhattisgarh Hockey Hockey KarnatakaPool B Hockey Madhya Pradesh Hockey Punjab Hockey ChandigarhPool C Hockey Haryana Uttar Pradesh Hockey Hockey BengalPool D Hockey Association of Odisha Hockey Maharashtra Hockey Andhra PradeshIn Division A each team will play roundrobin matches within their pool The top two teams from each pool will qualify for the Quarterfinals August 9 followed by the semifinals August 10 and the Final amp 3rd place playoff August 12 In Division A if a classification match ends in a draw at the end of regulation time a shootout competition as specified in the FIH Tournament Regulations will be conducted to determine the winnersDivision B Midtier Division Only league matches will take place in Division B with the top two ranked teams being promoted to Division A and the last two ranked teams being relegated to Division C Matches for Division B willPool A Manipur Hockey Le Puducherry Hockey Hockey Uttarakhand Kerala Hockey Assam HockeyPool B Hockey Himachal Delhi Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu Hockey Arunachal Hockey Association of BiharDivision C Entrylevel Division Only league matches will take place with the top two ranked teams being promoted to Division B Matches for Division C will be start on August 1 2025 and conclude on August 4 2025Pool A Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey Jammu amp Kashmir Goans Hockey TripuraPool B Hockey Gujarat Raj Hockey Mizoram Telangana HockeyAcross all three divisions teams will earn 3 points for a win 1 point for a draw and no point for a lossHockey India president Dilip Tirkey said After the Senior Nationals and the Sub Junior Nationals the new format will now be implemented in the Junior Nationals tournament We have had really positive outcomes from both the Senior and Sub Junior teams and are confident that the junior domestic players will be equally pleased playing this new formatHockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh echoed his sentiments adding The domestic teams have really adapted well to this new format and with the added benefit of getting a chance to move up to a higher division the teams have been giving it their all be it at the National or the Sub Junior level I am sure the junior teams will benefit from this pivotal exposure and love the experience of playing this new format IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-women-hockey-nationals-30-teams-set-to-participate-across-three-divisions-in-kakinada-629188.html Thu, 31 Jul 2025 14:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-hosts-15th-congress-unveils-nationwide-festival-and-grants-for-100-year-celebration-628250.html Mahabalipuram July 27 Hockey India successfully conducted its 15th Congress in the historic town of Mahabalipuram on Sunday Marking a century of Indian hockeys glorious journey the session witnessed a series of landmark announcements including a Nationwide Festival of Hockey Celebration on November 7 and substantial financial support for state and nationallevel hockey developmentIndian hockeys legacy began in 1925 with the formation of its firstever national governing body To commemorate this historic milestone Hockey India will organise an unprecedented nationwide celebration on November 7 The event will feature 1000 simultaneous matches one mens and one womens match in every district of the country engaging over 36000 players 18000 men and 18000 womenThis massive initiative will bring together players from every corner of the nation reflecting not only the unity and diversity of India but also the enduring passion that hockey continues to inspireIn a visionary move to further empower the ecosystem of Indian hockey Hockey India announced substantial increases in financial grants to support the organisation of national and grassrootslevel eventsRs 70 lakh each for hosting the Senior Mens and Senior Womens National ChampionshipsRs 30 lakh each for Junior Men Junior Women SubJunior Men and SubJunior Women National Championships Rs 25 lakh per state to support the organisation of district and statelevel competitionsThese enhanced grants aim to strengthen infrastructure improve event quality and ensure wider participation by reducing financial constraints at the local level The support is expected to benefit thousands of emerging players coaches and grassroots officials who are the backbone of Indian hockeys futureDilip Tirkey President Hockey India saidAs we celebrate 100 years of Indian hockey we not only honour our golden legacy but also lay a strong foundation for the future This nationwide festival is our tribute to every player coach and fan who has carried Indian hockey forward The financial support we are announcing is a direct investment in the dreams of the next generation ensuring that no talent is left behind due to lack of resourcesBhola Nath Singh Secretary General Hockey India added This centenary celebration is not just symbolic its actionoriented The increased grants are a reflection of our belief that real growth happens at the grassroots and that equal opportunity gender parity and quality infrastructure are essential pillars of hockeys resurgence We thank all our state units and districts for their commitment and we look forward to a grand inclusive celebration on 7th November IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-hosts-15th-congress-unveils-nationwide-festival-and-grants-for-100-year-celebration-628250.html Sun, 27 Jul 2025 18:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-sub-jr-men-nationals-29-teams-to-participate-across-three-divisions-in-chennai-628207.html New Delhi July 27 The 15th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship 2025 is set to begin on July 28 at Chennais MRK Hockey Stadium in Tamil Nadu The tournament will run until August 8 and will follow the newly introduced divisionbased format which was first implemented earlier this year during the Senior Men and Womens National Championships and earlier this month during the Womens Sub Junior National ChampionshipLike the earlier National Championships this year the 15th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship 2025 features 29 teams divided into three divisions Division A Division B and Division C with the aim of introducing an added competitive edge with promotion and relegation of teams at stakeDivision A of the Mens Sub Junior National Championship comprises the top 12 teams in the country and will feature defending champions Uttar Pradesh Hockey in Pool A last years runnersup Hockey Haryana in Pool B and second runnersup Hockey Punjab in Pool C Meanwhile Division B and Division C will comprise teams that are not in the top 12 rankings fighting to climb the ranks and make it to a higher division for next years National ChampionshipDivision A Toptier Championship Division Teams will compete for the title and the 11th and 12th ranked teams will be relegated to Division B Matches for Division A will start on August 1TeamsPool A Uttar Pradesh Hockey Hockey Madhya Pradesh DelhiPool B Hockey Haryana Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey Hockey Unit of Tamil NaduPool C Hockey Punjab Hockey Jharkhand Hockey KarnatakaPool D Hockey Association of Odisha Hockey Chandigarh Hockey MaharashtraEach team will play roundrobin matches within their pool The top two teams from each pool will qualify for the quarterfinals August 5 followed by the semifinals August 6 and the final amp 3rd place playoff August 8 In Division A if a classification match ends in a draw at the end of regulation time a shootout competition as specified in the FIH Tournament Regulations will be conducted to determine the winnersDivision B Midtier Division Only league matches will take place with the top two ranked teams being promoted to Division A and the last two ranked teams being relegated to Division C Matches for Division B will start on July 28 2025 and conclude on August 1 2025TeamsPool A Hockey Arunachal Chhattisgarh Hockey Hockey Bengal Hockey Gujarat Goans HockeyPool B Kerala Hockey Manipur Hockey Hockey Himachal Hockey Andhra Pradesh Telangana HockeyDivision C Entrylevel Division Only league matches will take place with the top two ranked teams being promoted to Division B Matches for Division C will start on July 28 2025 and conclude on July 31 2025TeamsPool A Rajasthan Le Puducherry Hockey Jammu amp KashmirPool B Hockey Association of Bihar Hockey Uttarakhand Hockey Mizoram TripuraAcross all three divisions teams will earn 3 points for a win 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a lossHockey India president Dilip Tirkey said We have had a very positive response to the new divisionbased format which has also made the competition more interesting for domestic players The Sub Junior Women National Championship also had a very positive response earlier this month and we are positive we will see a similar response in the Sub Junior Men National Championship as wellHockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh echoed his sentiments adding This revamped structure is getting a very positive response from all the domestic teams and now with the added pressure to avoid relegation teams be it at the Senior level or at the Sub Junior level have become more competitive during the tournament We will continue providing this pivotal exposure to our Sub Junior teams in Chennai and I am sure all 29 teams will have a memorable tournament IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-sub-jr-men-nationals-29-teams-to-participate-across-three-divisions-in-chennai-628207.html Sun, 27 Jul 2025 12:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-mens-hockey-team-to-tour-australia-for-four-match-series-in-august--627927.html New Delhi July 25 The Indian mens hockey team is set to tour Australia in August for a fourmatch series set to be held at the Perth Hockey Stadium from August 15 to 21 The series promises to be a highly competitive contest featuring eighthranked India taking on sixthranked Australia The matches will be played on August 15 16 19 and 21The two sides recently faced each other in the FIH Pro League 202425 in Europe where Australia edged India 32 in both legs However India had earlier scripted a memorable 32 victory over the Kookaburras at the 2024 Paris Olympics their first Olympic win over Australia since the 1972 Munich GamesWhile recent encounters have been closely fought Australia have historically held the edge in the rivalry winning 35 of the 51 matches played between the two teams since 2013 India have won nine times with seven matches ending in drawsThe series will serve as important preparation for India ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 set to be held in Rajgir Bihar from August 29 to September 7 The tournament offers a direct qualification spot for the FIH Hockey Mens World Cup 2026 making the Australia tour a key milestone in Indias buildupSpeaking on the tour chief coach Craig Fulton said This tour comes at a crucial time for us just ahead of the Asia Cup in Bihar While these are technically friendly matches they form a very important part of our preparation phase Playing against a team like Australia will test us in all aspects both on the ball and off it and that is exactly what we need to sharpen up before a major tournamentWe have just completed a 10day training block and the mood in the camp is upbeat as we are fully focused on what lies ahead One of our key goals on this tour is to use the first two matches for selection purposes while the remaining games will be played with the shortlisted squad for the Asia Cup Our focus is firmly on moving forward the goal now is to prepare well and go to the Asia Cup with the intent to win it he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-mens-hockey-team-to-tour-australia-for-four-match-series-in-august--627927.html Fri, 25 Jul 2025 13:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/young-goalkeeper-samiksha-saxena-aspires-to-soar-under-veteran-savita-and-coach-harendra-singhs-guidance-627749.html New Delhi July 24 Young goalkeeper Samiksha Saxena is dreaming big hoping to cement a permanent spot in the Indian senior womens hockey team and win titles and medals She is basing her dreams on the guidance provided by veteran goalkeeper and former India captain Savita Punia and coach Harendra Singh Samiksha is currently part of the 40member core probables group that has gathered for the ongoing Senior Womens National Coaching Camp at the Sports Authority of India SAI Centre in Bengaluru preparing for the upcoming Womens Asia Cup 2025 The 22yearold earned her callup to the camp after strong performances in the Senior Womens National Championships for Assam earlier this year She is now focused on taking the next big step in her careerTalking about her experience in the national camp so far she said Its going very well The environment and the coaches behaviour are excellent and I have improved a lot in a short time I have never experienced anything like this beforeI used to watch the senior players on TV and get inspired by them but now training with them has been a wonderful experience Currently I am working on my movements and reflexes I am also training to be more decisive in my goal as I carry a huge responsibility for my team she addedSamiksha now has the opportunity to train under veteran Indian goalkeeper Savita who has been a major inspiration for her over the years Speaking about her interactions with Savita Samiksha said I am very comfortable with her If I have a question or a doubt I go to her and even when she notices something off during practice she corrects me and teaches me every little thingThis is also the first time Samiksha is working under the Indian womens teams chief coach Harendra Singh He Harendra Singh is very fun to work with and explains everything very well He repeats his instructions in both English and Hindi to ensure we understand clearly I am excited to continue developing my game under his guidance she saidSamiksha hails from Saharanpur Uttar Pradesh and grew up with her grandmother parents two sisters and a younger brother Her father is a social worker while her mother used to work at an Anganwadi rural childcare centreShe began playing hockey on local grounds at the grassroots level while still in school initially as a field player At 19 she was selected for the SAI Centre in Bhopal where her coach advised her to switch to goalkeeping He told me I had good height and reflexes and would do well as a goalkeeper so I made the switch Samiksha explainedShe first represented SAI in the Junior Academy Nationals then played in the Khelo India University Games 202324 for ITM University Gwalior where she completed her degree in Physical EducationSamiksha has played in two Senior Women National Championships in 2024 for the Hockey Association of Bihar and this year for Assam Hockey Her strong performances in Division B helped her earn a spot in the national campSamiksha was at the SAI Centre in Bhopal when she received the news of her selection When I found out I called my mother first and she started crying Initially my parents wanted me to focus more on studies than on hockey but as I grew older they began supporting me wholeheartedly and are now very proud of my achievementsSpeaking about her future goals Samiksha said Its been a long and challenging journey so far but my dream is to go even further to represent India on the international stage I want to make my country proud and bring home medals for the nation she concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/young-goalkeeper-samiksha-saxena-aspires-to-soar-under-veteran-savita-and-coach-harendra-singhs-guidance-627749.html Thu, 24 Jul 2025 15:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/punjab-hockey-league-to-commence-from-aug-31-with-largest-ever-prize-pool-627575.html Mohali July 23 The second edition of the Punjab Hockey League PHL will commence from August 31 with a total prize pool of INR 30 Lakhs the largest ever for a juniorlevel hockey tournament in the country The league organized jointly by Roundglass and Hockey Punjab aims to provide extensive match exposure to players from the grassroots level and contribute meaningfully to their professional and personal developmentEight academy teams from across the country will participate in the league which will be conducted in two phases The inaugural edition of the Punjab Hockey League featured six teams from Punjab competing in a homeandaway format across two phasesThe first phase this year is scheduled from August 31 to September 9 at the Mohali International Hockey Stadium The second phase along with the finals will take place at the Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar from September 1527 with the finals slated for September 27 Sharing his thoughts on the Punjab Hockey League Nitin Kohli President of Hockey Punjab said The Punjab Hockey League marks a significant step forward in nurturing young hockey talent across the state By offering regular structured competition it not only provides essential match exposure for developing players but also encourages tactical innovation among coaches With every team playing 14 matches the format ensures both growth and consistency We are confident that this league will become a milestone in our journey to strengthen grassroots hockey in Punjab and inspire similar initiatives across IndiaThe prize money will be distributed among all eight teams based on their final rankings Each team is permitted to register up to 20 players including three players from the Under21 category and 17 players from the Under19 categoryThrough this collaborative initiative Roundglass and Hockey Punjab reaffirm their shared commitment to elevating grassroots hockey and nurturing the next generation of talent in IndiaSpeaking on the development Gurpreet Sunny Singh Founder Roundglass said Roundglass Hockey is on a mission to rebuild Indias passion for field hockey and organizing the Punjab Hockey League for juniors in such a big scale will take us closer to our goal It marks an important milestone in promoting hockey at the grassroots level in the country and uplifting the level of young hockey players by exposing them to more competitive games IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/punjab-hockey-league-to-commence-from-aug-31-with-largest-ever-prize-pool-627575.html Wed, 23 Jul 2025 17:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/players-are-executing-strategies-well-india-a-mens-hockey-coach-on-strong-start-to-european-tour-626035.html New Delhi July 14 The India A mens hockey team is off to a strong start in their tour of Europe having won three of the four matches played so far With high spirits and a clear focus the team is now aiming to maintain their momentum in the remainder of the tour which includes matches against England Belgium and the Netherlands Captained by Sanjay the squad has displayed a mix of flair and discipline recording impressive wins over Ireland and France As the tour enters its second half the focus is on building consistency and testing the teams depthReflecting on the performances so far coach Shivendra Singh said The India A mens hockey teams tour of Europe has started off quite well and the team has put in some fantastic performances Weve enjoyed playing in the Netherlands so far and want to continue the good work For that we are working hard behind the scenesHe added Its been rewarding to see our training plans and player combinations come to life on the pitch That gives us confidence going forward The players are executing strategies well and showing maturity I believe they will carry that same intensity into the remaining gamesThe tour is designed to provide exposure and international experience to a talented group of young and emerging players many of whom are on the radar for future senior team selection The next challenge for India A is a match against England followed by a game against Belgium and two highintensity fixtures against the Netherlands to conclude the tourSkipper Sanjay also expressed confidence in the teams approach Weve been doing well on this tour and are enjoying the opportunities weve been given Every match is a chance to learn and improve Were taking it one game at a time and are committed to giving our best in each oneHe continued The results so far have been positive but more importantly weve been able to execute our plans and play an exciting brand of hockey The focus now is to stay consistent especially as we head into some tough fixturesThe India A mens hockey team will next face England at the Wagener Stadion in Amstelveen Netherlands on Tuesday before wrapping up the tour with three more matches IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/players-are-executing-strategies-well-india-a-mens-hockey-coach-on-strong-start-to-european-tour-626035.html Mon, 14 Jul 2025 13:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/india-a-mens-hockey-team-secures-second-win-on-europe-tour-with-6-0-vcitory-over-ireland-625381.html Eindhoven July 10 The India A mens hockey team continued its impressive run in the second match of the ongoing Europe tour securing a convincing 60 victory over Ireland Uttam Singh once again opened the scoring for the India A Team followed by captain Sanjay Midfielder Mohammed Raheel Mouseen then scored impressive backtoback goals followed by a goal each by Amandeep Lakra and Varun Kumar as India A secured their second win for the country blanking out Ireland 60Soon after the match coach Shivendra Singh said Weve had two really good matches against Ireland and Im happy with how the players are shaping up Well play the French team next and hopefully deliver an equally impressive performanceOn Tuesday India kickstarted their tour of Europe with a dominant 61 victory over Ireland at the Hockey Club OranjeRood Uttam Singh opened the scoring for the men in blue and Amandeep Lakra later extended their lead This was followed by an impressive brace by Aditya Lalage as he scored backtoback goalsForwards Selvam Karthi and Boby Singh Dhami too scored a goal each to feature on the scoresheet Ireland could only manage to score a consolation goal as India ensured they are tight with their defendingIndia will next play against France England Belgium and hosts the Netherlands for the next two weeksThese matches are to test the depth and readiness of players as the national setup looks to build a stronger talent pool for the Indian senior team With this tour Hockey India aims to bolster the talent pool for the Indian mens national team and provide international match time to the next generation of Indian hockey stars IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/india-a-mens-hockey-team-secures-second-win-on-europe-tour-with-6-0-vcitory-over-ireland-625381.html Thu, 10 Jul 2025 12:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/india-a-mens-hockey-team-begins-tour-of-europe-with-6-1-victory-over-ireland-625162.html Eindhoven July 9 The India A mens hockey team kickstarted their tour of Europe with a dominant 61 victory over Ireland at the Hockey Club OranjeRood India had a complete performance throughout the four quarters and hardly put a foot wrong Uttam Singh opened the scoring for the men in blue and Amandeep Lakra later extended their lead This was followed by an impressive brace by Aditya Lalage as he scored backtoback goalsForwards Selvam Karthi and Boby Singh Dhami too scored a goal each to feature on the scoresheet Ireland could only manage to score a consolation goal as India ensured they are tight with their defendingIndia will next face Ireland again on July 9 as they will look for another positive result and build on their momentum in their tour of Europe They will later play against France England Belgium and hosts the Netherlands for the next two weeksThese matches are to test the depth and readiness of players as the national setup looks to build a stronger talent pool for the Indian senior team With this tour Hockey India aims to bolster the talent pool for the Indian Mens national team and provide international match time to the next generation of Indian hockey starsThis tour will be a good testing ground for us to know our strengths and weaknesses We have a good mix of seasoned players and young players and the tour will provide us with strong competition to assess where they stand This kind of international exposure will also help us strengthen our main team in the future and create a good bench strength in the long run captain Sanjay had said ahead of the tour IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/india-a-mens-hockey-team-begins-tour-of-europe-with-6-1-victory-over-ireland-625162.html Wed, 09 Jul 2025 13:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-hockey-nationals-odisha-up-uttarakhand-win-jharkhand-held-to-draw-625075.html Ranchi July 8 Odisha Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh won their respective matches while Jharkhand drew 11 with Hockey Haryana in a Division A clash in the 15th Hockey India SubJunior Womens National Hockey Championship at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium here on Tuesday The first match of the day was played between the Hockey Association of Odisha and Hockey Maharashtra in Division A in which Odisha registered a 30 victory Captain Kiro Sanjana 3 started adding the numbers on the scoreboard for her side from the first quarter Priyanka Minz 53 and Sweety Kujur 58 also scored one goal each to secure a comfortable winIn the next match Uttar Pradesh Hockey defeated Hockey Madhya Pradesh 32 in Division A Naina 19 Akansha Mitra 40 and Arika Kumari 49 scored for Uttar Pradesh Hockey whereas captain Tanvi 39 and Alvina Bee 50 managed to score two goals for Hockey Madhya Pradesh but fell shortIn the next match Hockey Jharkhand played a 11 draw against Hockey Haryana in Division A Guljan Kumari 2 scored for Hockey Jharkhand On the other hand Nancy Saroha 43 played an equaliser for Hockey HaryanaAlso the other match between Hockey Mizoram and Delhi in Division A was officially forfeited in favour of Hockey MizoramIn Division B Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey defeated Hockey Karnataka 41 Mehak Saini 24 40 scored a brace whereas Mansi Saroj 12 and Saif Waniya 34 also scored one goal each for Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey In response captain AG Pearlin Ponnamma 53 scored the consolation goal for Hockey KarntakaIn the other match Hockey Uttarakhand defeated Kerala Hockey 60 in Division B Minakshi 23 35 and Mukta 24 52 scored a total of four goals together to put Hockey Uttarakhand in a strong position in the game joined by Kartika 7 and Aashmi 19 also scored on goal each to take the game further away from Kerala HockeyIn the last match on Tuesday Chhattisgarh Hockey defeated Hockey Gujarat 82 Manpreet Kaur 19 31 44 45 stood out to be the top goal scorer as she scored four goals throughout the match Praja Twinkal 29 32 44 also scored a hattrick for Chhattisgarh HockeyCaptain Anjli Ekka 9 also contributed with one goal to affirm their position in the game On the other side Shitalben Maida 27 and Komal Ghadge 60 managed to score two goals for Hockey Gujarat but in vain IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-hockey-nationals-odisha-up-uttarakhand-win-jharkhand-held-to-draw-625075.html Tue, 08 Jul 2025 23:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-womens-hockey-nationals-odisha-mp-jharkhand-manipur-mizoram-win-on-day-5-624875.html Ranchi July 7 Mizoram Hockey Association of Odisha Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand secure victories in their Division A fixtures while Manipur emerged victorious in Division B on the fifth day of the 15th Hockey India SubJunior Womens National Championship 2025 at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium here on Monday In the first Division A clash of the day Mizoram defeated Hockey Association of Bihar 110 Hockey Mizorams Vanlalrinhlui 9 24 25 29 33 37 was unstoppable as she accounted for six goals including the openerEsther Lalremruati 35 58 60 also netted a secondhalf hattrick after C Lalruatsiami 11 and K Vanlalpeki 15 chipped in with firstquarter goals to set the tone for a comprehensive victoryAnother Division A clash saw Hockey Association of Odisha defeat Hockey Punjab 31 Sweety Kujur 1530 59 scored three goals to give Odisha the victory Meanwhile Navjot Kaur 54 gave Punjab brief hope with a late goal but it was in vainNausheen Naz 8 9 17 44 44 53 58 was the star with a tally of seven goals as Madhya Pradesh defeated Chandigarh 120 in an afternoon Division A clashSajeda Begum 11 and Hirva Purohit 14 also registered early goals before contributions from Sudipta Kindo 26 Keshar Bhabar 48 and Aqsa Khan 57 completed a comfortable victoryThe last Division A encounter of the day saw Jharkhand defeat Andhra Pradesh 40 Sewani Kerkettas 18 28 brace put Jharkhand in a strong position before halftime Sugan Sanga 44 then added a third goal followed by a late goal from Pushpa Manjhi 53 to wrap up the winIn Division B Tamil Nadu and Bengal shared points following a goalless draw while Manipur defeated Uttarakhand 42 Jerina Chongtham 8 gave Manipur the lead followed by a brace from Huidrom Bidyaluxmi Devi 37 57 and a late goal from Charoibam Juli Devi 60 For Hockey Uttarakhand Captain Mansi Katariya continued her form with a brace 31 49 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-womens-hockey-nationals-odisha-mp-jharkhand-manipur-mizoram-win-on-day-5-624875.html Mon, 07 Jul 2025 21:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-women-nationals-assam-jampk-register-big-wins-on-day-4-624670.html Ranchi July 6 The fourth day of the 15th Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship 2025 saw Assam Hockey and Hockey Jammu amp Kashmir register victories in their respective Division C matches at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium With their wins Division C matches of the 15th Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship 2025 came to an end with Hockey Himachal from Pool A and Assam Hockey from Pool B being promoted to Division B after topping their respective poolsRitika Tigga 3 14 58 Jyoshna Ekka 9 52 and captain Roshni Burhs 54 impressive performances helped Assam Hockey secure a victory over Telangana Hockey who despite Anu Kumari 46 and A Varshithas 22 valiant efforts were not able to turn the match in their favourIn the second Division C match of the day Goans Hockey despite an early goal by Vaydande Bhumika Bhima 5 were not able to hold their lead for long and lost 14 to Hockey Jammu amp Kashmir with Akshra Dutta 9 46 Kumari Shivani 23 and Maniksha Devi 59 scoring for the winning teamMeanwhile in Division B matches Chhattisgarh Hockey Manipur Hockey and Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey registered victories against Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu Hockey Karnataka and Kerala Hockey respectivelyAfter a goalless first half Chhattisgarh Hockeys Dubee Rawat 36 opened the scoreboard in the 36th minute and was soon followed by teammate Shyamlee Ray 43 who gave the team their second goal Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu tried to make a comeback in the final quarter but despite captain Jovina Defny Mj 59 valiant effort she was not able to save the game and lost 21Next match between Manipur Hockey and Hockey Karnataka Manipurs Huidrom Bidyaluxmi Devi 56 56 scored two backtoback goals within a minute to secure a victory for Manipur Hockey in the final quarterMeanwhile in the final match of the day Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey had a dominating 61 victory over Kerala Hockey with Manshi Yadav 6 Riya Gaud 19 Divya 10 Mansi Saroj 23 60 and Princi Yadav 47 scoring for Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey and Kerala Hockeys solitary goal being scored by Shalini Mungamuri 34 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-women-nationals-assam-jampk-register-big-wins-on-day-4-624670.html Sun, 06 Jul 2025 20:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/deepikas-brilliant-field-goal-against-the-netherlands-nominated-for-poligras-magic-skill-award-624628.html New Delhi July 6 Indian womens hockey team forward Deepika has been nominated for the Poligras Magic Skill Award for her incredible solo field goal against World No1 the Netherlands during the 202425 FIH Hockey Pro League season The nominations for the Poligras Magic Skill Award for the 202425 FIH Hockey Pro League season were released on Friday and the deadline to vote is July 14 at 329 am IST The winner will be announced once the voting ends The winner of the Poligras Magic Skill Award is decided by hockey fans across the world based on who they think had the best moment and goal during the seasonDeepikas iconic moment took place in February 2025 during the Bhubaneswar leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League when the Indian Team defeated the Netherlands in shootout after a 22 draw at the Kalinga StadiumIn the 35th minute Deepika scored an amazing field goal as India were trailing by two goals In the 35th minute Deepika dribbled down the left flank brilliantly as she went around the Netherlands backline kissed the baseline dinked the ball over a defenders stick and finished the move with a wonderful strike past the keeper and into the netThat goal against the Netherlands is one of the most special moments of my career Everything just clicked and it helped us equalise and win the game in shootout Im honoured to be nominated for the Poligras Magic Skill Award and grateful for the support of our fans Moments like these are what we train so hard for Your votes and support motivates me to keep pushing my limits and give it my all for India I also want to thank my coaches the support staff and most importantly my teammates for their constant encouragement and belief in me the 21yearold prolific attacker saidApart from Deepikas goal the women nominees for the Poligras Magic Skill Award features two more wonderful flashes of brilliance on the field Patricia Alvarezs incredible 3D Skills and goal for Spain against Australia has made the cut Patricia showed brilliant technique to win the ball and juggle the ball with her stick over the rushing goalkeeper and found the net The third nomination is for the wonderful team goal by Australias womens team against England The Hockeyroos orchestrated a brilliant passage of play with five passes in the opposing half and a brilliant strike into the goalThe global vote is open for everyone to choose their favourite skill for the 202425 FIH Hockey Pro League season IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/deepikas-brilliant-field-goal-against-the-netherlands-nominated-for-poligras-magic-skill-award-624628.html Sun, 06 Jul 2025 13:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/india-a-mens-hockey-team-leaves-for-netherlands-for-upcoming-europe-tour-624491.html Bengaluru July 5 The India A mens hockey team left for Eindhoven Netherlands on Saturday morning for the Tour of Europe scheduled from July 8 to 20 Led by captain Sanjay and vicecaptain Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh India A will play eight matches in total across three cities in Europe While India A will play two matches each against Ireland France and the Netherlands in Eindhoven Netherlands they will play one match each against England and Belgium in Amstelveen Netherlands and Antwerpen Belgium respectivelyThese matches are expected to test the depth and readiness of players as the national setup looks to build a stronger talent pool for the Indian senior team The India A captain Sanjay said This tour will be a good testing ground for us to know our strengths and weaknesses We have a good mix of seasoned players and young players and the tour will provide us with strong competition to assess where they stand This kind of international exposure will also help us strengthen our main team in the future and create good bench strength in the long runVicecaptain Moirangthem added The tour will help the team understand the different dynamics and intensity of playing against top European teams in Europe This exposure will also help some of the younger players experience hockey at a much different pace than they are used to in India We hope this exposure will help us and the next generation of players improve in the long runWith this tour Hockey India aims to bolster the talent pool for the Indian mens national team and provide international match time to the next generation of Indian hockey stars The first match between India A and Ireland will take place on July 8 at 2130 IST IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/india-a-mens-hockey-team-leaves-for-netherlands-for-upcoming-europe-tour-624491.html Sat, 05 Jul 2025 11:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/denying-visas-to-pakistan-team-for-asia-cup-hockey-could-have-led-to-ioc-sanctions-624438.html Mumbai July 4 The Indian government has come under pressure over its decision to allow the mens hockey team of Pakistan to participate in the upcoming Asia Cup in Rajgir in Bihar Many people including some current and former sports administrators have urged the government to rescind its decision and to deny the Pakistan team visas to visit India It is apparent that they have tried to ignore the impact denial of participation of a team due to political reasons which goes against the Olympic charter will have on the country hosting sporting events in the futureThose opposing the decision to allow the Pakistan team into the country for an FIH Grade C event like the Asia Cup will not be considered as major interference by the International Olympic Committee IOC and the interactions with the IOC Future Games Hosting Commission will the Indian Olympic Association IOA for the 2036 OlympicsBut they fail to consider the fact that the IOC had in 2019 asked international federations to consider not allowing hosting rights to India because of the denial of visas to boxers from Kosovo and Pakistani shooters for participating in events in IndiaThis led to the IOC Executive Board revoking the Olympic qualification status of the specific event mens 25meter Rapid Fire Pistol and asking international federations not to consider hosting global events in IndiaIn case of denial of visas to the Pakistan mens hockey team for the upcoming Asia Cup in Rajgir will make it a third offence by India of denying participation over political considerations and therefore will incur penalties more severe than the previous instanceIn this regard it is also pertinent to consider what the IOC charter says about the denial of participation because of political reasonsThe Olympic Charter states that every individual must have access to the practice of sport without discrimination of any kind in line with internationally recognized human rights Therefore denying visas on political grounds violates the Olympic Charter Thus Pakistan players being denied visas to participate in the Asia Cup may risk future hosting rights and impact Indias global stature in sports according to sources in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and SportsThe Charter also prohibits discrimination based on nationality ensuring all qualified athletes can participate in international competitions regardless of political relations between countries It also emphasises the autonomy and independence of sports federations from political interference Denying visas on political grounds violates this principleSo those supporting the governments move on the Asia Cup also cite international precedents in this regard especially two incidents which led to India facing IOC sanctions a few years agoIndia denied visas to athletes from Kosovo a newly formed nation that the country did not recognise for participation in the World Boxing Championship 2018 India also denied visas to two athletes and one official from Pakistan for participation in the ISSF RiflePistol World Cup in 2019This led to the IOC vide its letter dated 2122019 informing the IOA that the IOC Executive Board decided to suspend all discussions with Indian NOC and Government regarding potential applications for hosting future events and Olympic related events in India until clear written guarantees are obtained from Indian Government to ensure the entry of all participants in events in full compliance with the rules of the Olympic CharterBesides it also recommended that international federations neither award nor hold sports events in India until guarantees are obtained The Indian government had to give written assurances to the IOC before the recommendation was liftedOther countries too have faced sanctions on this issue like Malaysia losing the right to host the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships for denying visas to Israeli athletes The IPC moved the event to LondonThe United Arab Emirates did not give Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer visas to participate in the 2009 Dubai Tennis Championships The WTA fined Dubai organizers and required future compliance The following year visas were granted after international pressureThese examples and principles demonstrate that international sporting bodies expect host nations to grant visas to all eligible athletes regardless of political tensions Denying visas on political grounds is contrary to the Olympic Charter and global sporting norms and can result in sanctions or loss of hosting rightsCommitting this offence for the third successive time by India will surely have an impact on its ongoing continued dialogue with the IOC Future Rights Commission over the hosting rights for the 2036 Olympic Games in Hyderabad IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/denying-visas-to-pakistan-team-for-asia-cup-hockey-could-have-led-to-ioc-sanctions-624438.html Fri, 04 Jul 2025 22:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-varun-kumar-eyes-india-a-call-up-as-path-back-to-senior-team-624338.html Bengaluru July 4 Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Varun Kumar sees his selection in the India A squad as a chance to return to the senior national team having been out of the side for over a year Missing out on the Paris Olympics was painful I know I was in the reckoning to make the squad but now I have left the past behind and ready to start fresh with this opportunity to play for India A expressed the defender dragflicker who was also part of the Junior World Cup fame in 2016Varun was last seen in India colours during the India vs Germany friendly match in New Delhi last year but to receive a callup for the India A side ahead of the marquee Asia Cup in August puts Varun in good stead to return to the senior sideCertainly my personal goal is to return to the senior team But more important for me right now is to improve my game Not having played a proper tour in over oneandahalf years it is a long time and the game is constantly changing The structure has changed and it has also become much faster The way I am looking at it is to start fresh explained VarunThe India A squad led by Sanjay will play two matches each against Ireland France and the Netherlands along with a match each against England and Belgium Starting July 8 the matches will be held in Eindhoven and Amstelveen in the Netherlands and the match against Belgium will be played in AntwerpPersonally for me it has been a tough road back into the core probable group Last 78 months I have worked a lot on my fitness and also mentally it has been extremely challenging Returning to form has not been easy but I am really grateful to my family teammates and coaching staff who have stood with me in tough times and constantly kept motivating me expressed VarunSpeaking about his personal goals Varun said We have been working quite hard in the camp over the past two months and I feel this is a great chance for players to test ourselves against the top teams of the world Playing the European teams who are preparing for the Euro Cup will be quite exciting and challenging It will be a learning experience for me and I know a good show here will count especially with the Asia Cup coming up in IndiaThe India A squad leaves for Amsterdam tonight from Bengaluru IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-varun-kumar-eyes-india-a-call-up-as-path-back-to-senior-team-624338.html Fri, 04 Jul 2025 13:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-announces-sanjay-led-india-a-mens-squad-for-europe-tour-623794.html New Delhi July 1 Hockey India on Tuesday announced the India A Mens Hockey Team squad for its upcoming tour of Europe scheduled to take place from July 8 to 20 The tour will feature a total of eight matches against some of the top European sides and is aimed at providing valuable international exposure to a mix of emerging and experienced playersThe India A team will play two matches each against Ireland France and the Netherlands along with one match each against England and BelgiumThe 20member squad comprises a blend of seasoned performers and promising youngsters who have impressed in domestic and international circuits The team will be captained by Sanjay while Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh will be his deputyThe squad includes goalkeepers Pawan and Mohit Honnenahalli Shashikumar and defenders Pratap Lakra Varun Kumar Amandeep Lakra Parmod and SanjayIn the midfield department Poovanna Chandura Boby Mohammed Raheel Mouseen Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh Vishnukant Singh Pardeep Singh and Rajinder Singh are present while the forward lineup includes Angadbir Singh Boby Singh Dhami Maninder Singh Venkatesh Kenche Aditya Arjun Lalge Selvam Karthi and Uttam SinghThe standby list includes goalkeeper Ankit Malik defender Sunil Jojo and forward Sudeep ChirmakoDuring the tour the team will be coached by Shivendra Singh who is also the assistant coach of the mens team and brings a wealth of experience and a sharp focus on attacking playSpeaking about the tour Shivendra said This tour is an important platform for our players to experience the tempo structure and intensity of European hockey We have selected a squad that balances potential and experience and I am confident this tour will be immensely beneficial in grooming the next batch of international players for IndiaIndia A will begin its European sojourn on July 8 with the first match against IrelandThe tour is part of Hockey Indias longterm vision to bolster the talent pipeline and provide international matchtime to the next generation of Indian hockey starsIndia A Squad for Europe TourGoalkeepers Pawan Mohit Honnenahalli ShashikumarDefenders Pratap Lakra Varun Kumar Amandeep Lakra Parmod Sanjay CMidfielders Poovanna Chandura BobyMohammed Raheel Mouseen Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh VC Vishnukant Singh Pardeep Singh Rajinder SinghForwards Angadbir Singh Boby Singh Dhami Maninder Singh Venkatesh Kenche Aditya Arjun Lalge Selvam Karthi Uttam SinghStandbys Ankit Malik Goalkeeper Sunil Jojo Defender Sudeep Chirmako Forward IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-announces-sanjay-led-india-a-mens-squad-for-europe-tour-623794.html Tue, 01 Jul 2025 13:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-indian-womens-hockey-team-relegated-after-2-3-loss-to-china-623571.html Berlin June 29 Indian Womens Hockey Team ended their FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 campaign with a 23 loss against China here in Berlin on Sunday Though it was an inspired performance by India today it was simply not enough to get the better of China It was goals by Ying Zhang 19 30 and Xu Wenyu 53 that helped China win while Sunelita Toppo 9 and Rujuta Dadaso Pisal 38 scored for IndiaThis was the last match of the season with Netherlands finishing on top Argentina finishing second and Belgium finishing third in the league while China have finished fourth in the points table India have finished last and will be relegated and will need to play the FIH Nations Cup to earn their place again in the prestigious FIH Pro LeagueThough it was China who got on to a good start with an early PC India made headway in the 9th minute when a pass from Neha Goyal to Sunelita Toppo led to a fine goal The youngster from Odisha picked up the pass well runs up wide to create space and got a clear shot on goal Two minutes later China threatened to equalise when they won a PC but India defended wellIt didnt take too long for China to find an equaliser In the 18th minute China won a PC though there was no goal from this attempt Deng Qiuchan was hit on the face by Indian defender Manisha Chauhan while she was trying to clear the ball Quichan had to be taken off the field and the onfield umpire handed China a penalty stroke which was appealed by IndiaThe video umpire did uphold Indias review and awarded a PC to China which they promptly converted through Ying Zhang Building momentum in their attack China fetched another PC towards the end of the second quarter Zhang was spoton yet again as she added another goal to her name ensuring China were in the leadIndia had their chance to equalise in the 37th minute when they won their first PC of the game While the first PC was blocked by the Chinese defenders there was a back stick Though the onfield umpire missed it India took a successful referral and were awarded another PC This time Navneet Kaur took the shot and tried a fantastic variation The experienced Kaur passed the ball to Rujuta who was standing on the right flank She got a perfect deflection to level the score India showcased an inspired performance today put pressure on China creating potential chances in the circle and even found successChina meanwhile began the final quarter with a PC after a backstick foul by India This one was welldefended by Bichu Devi Indias goalie Bichu was kept busy in the following minutes as China won two more PCs but Devi was on par with her saves A relentless China ended up finding success in the 53rd minute when Xu Wenyu converted this one through a PC India giving away soft PCs has been a concern in both the matches against China The 32 lead put China in a good position to finish well This Pro League we played attacking hockey We need to continue to build on it We have the World Cup qualifier coming up and our aim will be to do well there stated Salima Tete after the match IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-indian-womens-hockey-team-relegated-after-2-3-loss-to-china-623571.html Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-indian-womens-hockey-team-stares-at-relegation-with-0-3-loss-to-china-623407.html Berlin June 28 China registered a determined 30 win against the Indian womens hockey team on Saturday in Berlin pushing them to the brink of relegation from the FIH Hockey Pro League Women tournament It was a disappointing outing for India who missed converting from the chances including a penalty stroke in the fourth quarter when Deepika hit the postWe are giving away too many soft PCs was Chief Coach Harendra Singhs halftime analysis From only six chances in the circle for China they scored thrice with goals from Yang Chen 21 and Ying Zhang 26 both these goals from PC while Anhui Yu 45 scored a field goalThe victory continues to firmly place China the 2022 Asian Games gold medal in the fourth position on the points table while India which finished third in Hangzhou remains in the ninth place A favourable result in the upcoming game between seventhplaced Germany and eighthplaced England would give some hope for IndiaIndia made a good start winning a PC as early as the 4th minute but failed to convert China meanwhile have been on the rise since its incredible Paris Olympic silver medal taking the lead in the 21st minute through a PC converted by Yang She gave Savita no chance of saving itFive minutes later Ying pumped one in to make it 20 by halftime again through a PC This one was a complete defensive collapse in PC with the ball going in between defender Jyoti Singhs legs Chinas third goal was a finelystruck field goal by Anhui Yu following which India had no hope of bouncing backOverall it has been an underwhelming show by the Indian womens hockey team and they will be desperately hoping to end their campaign with a win when they meet China again on Sunday IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-indian-womens-hockey-team-stares-at-relegation-with-0-3-loss-to-china-623407.html Sat, 28 Jun 2025 21:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-mens-junior-world-cup-hosts-india-pakistan-drawn-together-in-pool-b-623358.html Lausanne June 28 Hosts India and archrivals Pakistan have been drawn in Pool B for the FIH Hockey Mens Junior World Cup scheduled to be held in Tamil Nadu from November 28 to December 10 On the occasion of the draw ceremony held in Lausanne Switzerland the six Pools of the expanded tournament which will feature 24 teams for the very first time have been determined Alongside the men in blue will take on Chile and Switzerland in Pool B FIH President Tayyab Ikram participated in the draw ceremony along with Bhola Nath Singh Hockey India Secretary General and Cdr RK Srivastava Hockey India Director General Ahead of the draw ceremony FIH President Tayyab Ikram said It is a great pleasure for me to be here ahead of a milestone moment as we start the journey towards the first ever 24team FIH Junior Hockey World Cup It is a part of the FIH strategy to empower and engage the youth from all nations including the emerging nations and this event will be the first step towards doing thatI express my gratitude to the Tamil Nadu leadership Chief Minister MKStalin and deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for welcoming the young stars to the state of Tamil Nadu into the two beautiful cities of Chennai and Madurai This World Cup also brings with it the opportunity to enhance our hockey infrastructure and in the city of Madurai introduce a new stateofart hockey stadium I would also like to thank the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sports Minister of India Mansukh LMandaviya for seeing Hockey as a prime sport and supporting it not only in India but also across Asia and globally The FIH Hockey Mens Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu India 2025 will be played in Chennai and MaduraiHockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh said Today marks a landmark moment for the world of hockey as we witness the pool draw for the inaugural FIH Junior Mens Hockey World Cup featuring 24 nations On behalf of Hockey India I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi for his resolute support to hockey and its players across the nation Under his visionary leadership and that of Sports Minister of India Mansukh L Mandaviya Indias hockey landscape has gained significant momentum This effort would not have been possible without the mentorship and support of our elder brother DatoTayyabIkram ji whose promotion of international hockey has been invaluable In advance of the draw I congratulate all 24 participating teams and warmly welcome each delegation to India We hope this event offers a memorable and enriching experience for all he added Germany are the current Junior Mens World Champions having defeated France 21 in the final of the 2023 edition to win a recordextending seventh title The defending champions will face South Africa Canada and Ireland in the Pool A fixtures Full draw Pool A Germany South Africa Canada IrelandPool B India Pakistan Chile SwitzerlandPool C Argentina New Zealand Japan ChinaPool D Spain Belgium Egypt NamibiaPool E Netherlands Malaysia England AustriaPool F France Australia Korea Bangladesh IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-mens-junior-world-cup-hosts-india-pakistan-drawn-together-in-pool-b-623358.html Sat, 28 Jun 2025 16:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-junior-mens-hockey-team-overcomes-australia-2-1-in-4-nation-tournament-622936.html Berlin June 25 The Indian junior mens hockey team defeated Australia 21 in the battle for third place at the ongoing 4 Nations Tournament here on Wednesday Rohit 45 provided the equaliser for India before Ajeet Yadavs 52 fourthquarter goal sealed the win Earlier captain Toby Mallon had given Australia the lead in the second half Both teams were locked in a tense battle through the first half with neither side managing to find the back of the net in the opening two quarters Strong defensive structures and disciplined play from both ends ensured that goalscoring opportunities were not converted keeping the scores level heading into the third quarterAustralia eventually struck in the third quarter when Toby Mallon scored a field goal to put them ahead 10 in the 40th minute India responded swiftly finding the equaliser just five minutes later It was Rohit who scored following a penalty corner to restore parityWith the momentum on their side India rallied to find the winner in the final quarter In the 52nd minute Ajeet Yadav found the back of the net in open play to give India the lead and secure the victoryEarlier on Tuesday the Indian junior mens hockey team suffered a 15 defeat at the hands of Spain in their third and final pool stage match Spain started the encounter on the front foot striking twice in quick succession in the opening minutes Pere Amat opened the scoring in the 2nd minute by converting a penalty corner while Santi Martin followed it up with a field goal in the 3rd minute giving Spain an early 20 leadBoth teams engaged in endtoend hockey in the second quarter with India pushing for a breakthrough and Spain looking to extend their lead However neither side was able to convert their chances and the scoreline remained 20 in favour of Spain at halftimeThe win marks the end of Indias campaign in the 4 Nations Tournament In the pool stage India began with a 17 loss to hosts Germany bounced back with an assertive 31 victory against Australia and then endured a 15 defeat against Spain IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-junior-mens-hockey-team-overcomes-australia-2-1-in-4-nation-tournament-622936.html Wed, 25 Jun 2025 20:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/masters-cup-2025-tamil-nadu-to-meet-maharashtra-in-mens-final-622950.html Chennai June 25 The Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu vs Hockey Maharashtra in the final of the mens section of the inaugural Hockey India Masters Cup Men at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai Tamil Nadu on Friday In the semifinals played on Wednesday Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra defeated Hockey Chandigarh and Hockey Association of Odisha respectivelyIn the first semifinal match the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu defeated Hockey Chandigarh 30 in the mens category to become the first finalist Vinoth Kumar AP 1 started the game with an outstanding goal in the first minute of the match Sudharsan S 40 and skipper Adam Antony Sinclair 54 also scored one goal each to secure their berth in the final stage of the tournamentIn the second semifinal Maharashtra won 41 against the Hockey Association of Odisha to enter the final Leonard Keith Pereira 4 17 scored a brace while Vikram Pillay 38 and Karl Gomes 43 also scored a goal each to put their team Hockey Maharashtra in a strong position On the other hand captain Lajrus Barla 27 managed to score the consolation goal for the Hockey Association of OdishaChandigarh will now face off with the Hockey Association of Odisha for the bronze medal match on Friday before the final gameEarlier on Tuesday Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu Hockey Association of Odisha Hockey Haryana and Hockey Punjab won their respective matches in the quarterfinals to move ahead in the competition in the womens category On the other side in the mens category Hockey Maharashtra and Hockey Chandigarh joined Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu and Hockey Association of Odisha in the semifinals as the race to crown the first champions of the Hockey India Masters Cup has now reached the home stretchFridays fixtures3rd4th Place Hockey Chandigarh vs Hockey Association of Odisha 0800 HRSFinal Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu vs Hockey Maharashtra 1600 HRS IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/masters-cup-2025-tamil-nadu-to-meet-maharashtra-in-mens-final-622950.html Wed, 25 Jun 2025 21:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/4-nations-hockey-tournament-indian-junior-mens-team-goes-down-1-5-against-spain-622757.html Berlin June 24 The Indian junior mens hockey team suffered a 15 defeat at the hands of Spain in their third and final pool stage match of the ongoing 4 Nations Tournament on Tuesday Spain started the encounter on the front foot striking twice in quick succession in the opening minutes Pere Amat opened the scoring in the 2nd minute by converting a penalty corner while Santi Martin followed it up with a field goal in the 3rd minute giving Spain an early 20 leadBoth teams engaged in endtoend hockey in the second quarter with India pushing for a breakthrough and Spain looking to extend their lead However neither side was able to convert their chances and the scoreline remained 20 in favour of Spain at halftimeSpain regained control in the third quarter and capitalised on Indias defensive lapses Pere Amat 42 added his second goal of the match by converting another penalty cornerA minute later Josep Martin 43 netted a field goal to extend Spains lead to 40In the fourth and final quarter Spain further widened the gap with a fifth goal through another wellexecuted penalty corner from Mario Mena 51 India managed to pull one back almost immediately as Araijeet Singh Hundal 52 scored a field goal to reduce the deficit and avoid a clean sweepWith this result India concluded their pool stage matches having previously faced Germany and Australia The roundrobin format of the 4 Nations Tournament sees all four participating teams India Germany Australia and Spain play each other once Based on the standings the top two teams will contest the Final while the bottom two teams will battle it out in the 3rd4th place playoff IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/4-nations-hockey-tournament-indian-junior-mens-team-goes-down-1-5-against-spain-622757.html Tue, 24 Jun 2025 20:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-celebrates-77th-olympic-day-with-member-units-across-the-country-622544.html New Delhi June 23 Hockey India and its member units celebrated the 77th Olympic Day by hosting various sporting events and activities across the country The events included friendly tournaments exhibition matches fitness and training sessions postermaking and quiz competitions as well as plantation drives to promote the Olympic values of sportsmanship and camaraderie Through these activities Hockey India aims to bring together people from diverse backgrounds and provide a platform to highlight the significance of fitness and sports encouraging individuals to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives regardless of age gender background or communitySeveral member units including Assam Hockey Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey Hockey Arunachal Hockey Mizoram Chhattisgarh Hockey and Hockey Jharkhand organised exhibition matches while Goans Hockey and the Hockey Association of Odisha held hockey tournamentsAssam Hockey the Hockey Association of Odisha and Chhattisgarh Hockey also hosted postermaking and essaywriting competitions while Hockey Mizoram organised a tree plantation drive Odishas Naval Tata Hockey Academy hosted a special lunch with Olympians and conducted quiz competitions as part of the Olympic Day celebrationsOlympic Day is celebrated annually on June 23 commemorating the birth of the modern Olympic Games which began on June 23 1894 in Paris The primary objective of Olympic Day is to encourage global participation in sports regardless of age gender or athletic ability Since 2023 Olympic Day celebrations have aligned with the International Olympic Committees IOC Lets Move initiative which aims to promote physical activity and encourage people to move more every daySpeaking about the significance of Olympic Day and the positive message it spreads Hockey India President Dr Dilip Tirkey said Every year on 23 June our member units come together to show their remarkable dedication to the global Olympic movement and their love for hockey Through these wideranging activities they not only promote fitness and unity but also reflect the true spirit of Olympic Day which champions inclusivity across all ages genders and abilities IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-celebrates-77th-olympic-day-with-member-units-across-the-country-622544.html Mon, 23 Jun 2025 18:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-womens-pro-league-india-slip-to-ninth-place-with-0-2-loss-vs-hosts-belgium-622402.html Antwerp June 22 Goals by Ambre Ballenghien 40 and Lien Hillewaert 43 saw Belgium register a 20 win against the Indian Womens Hockey Team on Sunday in Antwerp This win ensured Belgium remained in the third place only behind Netherlands and Argentina who are in the first and second position respectively in the FIH Womens Pro League After Saturdays 15 debacle India began this quarter showcasing aggressive play with a clear intent to overcome the disappointment of the previous loss They tried to find space backed by good pace as India built on a good momentum They even won a PC early in the quarter but could not convert Meanwhile with six minutes left for the first hooter a defensive error gave Belgium their first PC of the match A slow attempt by the hosts eventually led to the umpire awarding a penalty stroke But a good video referral by India showed that it was Jyotis stick and the video umpire ruled it as a long cornerThe second quarter witnessed some brave surge by Indian attackers moving forward with pace and vigour Skipper Salima Tete led the charge as she took a couple of shots on goal herself but Belgian defence was resurgent At halftime India had two PCs while Belgium had one and 10 circle entries as oppose to Indias eight It was an evenly played out match until halftime break with India looking for that elusive winIn the third quarter though they seemed to lose the plot Though India began the quarter optimistically with a PC being awarded to them They couldnt make a good execution but Belgium made no such mistake when they won a PC in the following minutesAmdre Ballengien took the shot from the left which was deflected by India goalie Savita But the ball rebounded and was perfectly lofted into the post It was a muchneeded 10 lead for the hosts India responded quickly with a PC but failed to equaliseBelgium riding on the 10 lead came back to pump another one into Indias post through a PC They played a similar variation sending the ball to the left and Lien Hillewaert was perfectly positioned to get the right deflection with no Indian defender posing a threat to her shotIn a blink of an eye Belgium were 20 up with goals coming in the 40th and 43rd minute This really put India under the pump for the final quarterStaring at a relegation with just two wins in the entire season India had their task cut out But there was no respite in the fourth quarter either Deepika and Jyoti traded chances in this quarter trying to find India a goal But they remained goalless despite Neha Salima Navneet and Rutuja being in the right places pushing for that muchneeded goal India made 22 circle penetrations in the game almost the same as Belgium but had no luck in conversion Belgium did well to defend their 20 lead till the last minute to seal the winning points and remain in the third place in the current pool standingsIndia will desperately look for backtoback wins against China when they play against them next weekend to avoid relegation IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-womens-pro-league-india-slip-to-ninth-place-with-0-2-loss-vs-hosts-belgium-622402.html Sun, 22 Jun 2025 19:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-late-goals-sink-india-to-36-defeat-against-belgium-622283.html Antwerp June 21 The Indian mens hockey team went down 36 to Belgium in the ongoing FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 Men in Antwerp on Saturday Goals by Dilpreet Singh 36 and Mandeep Singh 38 helped India come back from a twogoal deficit while a late third goal from Amit Rohidas 56 kept India in the contest Meanwhile a brace of goals by Arthur Van Doren 1 54 and goals from Alexander Hendrickx 28 Roman Duvekot 49 Thibeau Stockbroekx 53 and Tom Boon 59 scripted the triumph for BelgiumIndia conceded within the first minute when Belgium won two penalty corners in the first 20 seconds of play Goalkeeper Suraj Karkera stopped Alexander Hendrickxs dragflick but Arthur Van Doren pounced on the rebound to give the hosts the lead Belgiums fast start pushed India on the back foot with the visitors struggling to hold possession or build momentum Towards the end of the quarter India began to assert itself in the contestBuoyed by their strong technical ability India fought their way into the contest in the second quarter With slick stickwork they put pressure on Belgiums mantoman defence and won two consecutive penalty corners but the deficit remained Against the run of play Belgium doubled their lead when Alexander Hendrickx converted a penalty corner just before halftimeIndia started the third quarter brightly showing their intent but Belgium gradually took control of the game once again and dominated possession India found respite when they were awarded two consecutive penalty corners On the second attempt Jugraj Singhs dragflick was blocked by the Belgian defence but Dilpreet reacted swiftly smashing in the rebound from a tight angle to reduce the deficitMoments later Vivek Sagar Prasad played the ball into a dangerous area where Mandeep Singhs touch took a deflection off Van Doren before sneaking into the goal to make it 22 and complete a spirited comeback India remained tenacious in their pursuit of a third and another penalty corner saw Sanjay narrowly miss his markIndia suffered a fatal blow early in the final quarter when Roman Duvekot squeezed it in from close range following a skilful run from Tom Boon reclaiming the lead after a penalty corner It was endtoend action in the final ten minutes and Belgium struck again following an impressive run from Victor Foubert that set up Thibeau Stockbroekx for a simple finishIndias woes continued as Arthur Van Dorens venomous strike from inside the circle deflected off Amit Rohidas and popped into the back of the net to make it 52India refused to give in and the contest was far from over as Amit Rohidas converted a crucial penalty corner to pull one back for the visitors Rajinder Singh came agonisingly close as well but was denied by Arthur De Sloover on the line In the final few minutes Tom Boon scored Belgiums sixth to complete a comprehensive victory IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-late-goals-sink-india-to-36-defeat-against-belgium-622283.html Sun, 22 Jun 2025 00:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/india-lose-15-to-clinical-belgium-at-fih-womens-hockey-pro-league--622269.html Antwerp June 21 The India Womens Hockey Team went down 15 against Belgium at the FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 Women on Saturday in Antwerp In a thrilling contest that saw 17 penalty corners for Belgium Deepika 6 gave India the lead before goals from Helene Brasseur 37 55 Lucie Breyne 41 Ambre Ballenghien 54 and Charlotte Englebert 58 sealed victory for the hostsNotably all five of Belgiums goals arose from penalty cornersIndia endured a nervy start as Belgium came out pressing with intent earning a penalty corner within the opening minute The early scare was averted and Savita soon followed up with a sharp save to keep the scoreboard untouched An unforced error in Indias half gifted Belgium possession again but Vaishnavi stepped up with a crucial interception to shut the doorSitting deep and absorbing waves of pressure India waited patiently for their chance on the break When it came they made it count Their first circle entry resulted in a penalty corner and Deepikas shot took a deflection off a Belgian defender before finding the back of the net to put India aheadAs the second quarter unfolded India did well in midfield to open up spaces despite the Belgian press However Belgium were in control of proceedings and found two more penalty corners but India were up to the task A skilful run from Navneet set up Salima Tete on the right flank leading to two consecutive penalty cornersOn the rebound Navneet fired a thunderous shot inside the circle but goalkeeper Elena Sotgiu made a good save Minutes before halftime Lisa Moors threatened to level the scores with a powerful strike from inside the circle but Indias goalkeeper Bichu Devi kept it outBelgium entered the third quarter having made 10 circle entries to Indias four maintaining steady pressure on the defence It took five penalty corners before Hélène Brasseur finally converted to bring Belgium level Two more penalty corners followed and despite a series of sharp saves from Savita Lucie Breyne struck from close range during yet another setpiece to give Belgium a 21 leadIndia laboured to find a way back probing through the flanks in search of an opening in the final quarter but the Belgian defence remained largely untroubled in the final third The final ten minutes however were completely dominated by the hosts In the 54th minute Ambre Ballenghien effectively sealed the contest with a welltaken goal to make it 31Five minutes later Helene Brasseur converted Belgiums fourth penalty corner stretching the lead further Just before the end Charlotte Englebert added her name to the scoresheet calmly slotting home a penalty stroke in the 58th minute to complete a comprehensive 51 win for BelgiumThe Indian Womens Hockey Team will take on Belgium tomorrow at 430 PM IST IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/india-lose-15-to-clinical-belgium-at-fih-womens-hockey-pro-league--622269.html Sat, 21 Jun 2025 20:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-and-tamil-nadu-govt-sign-mou-to-host-fih-mens-junior-world-cup--621929.html Chennai June 19 Hockey India on Thursday signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding MoU with the Government of Tamil Nadu to host the FIH Hockey Mens Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu 2025 The MoU ceremony held at the Taj Coromandel Hotel in Chennai also witnessed the official unveiling of the tournament logo kickstarting the countdown to one of the most anticipated global hockey events Scheduled to take place from November 28 to December 10 the twoweek tournament will be jointly hosted in the cities of Chennai and Madurai In a historic first the 2025 edition will feature 24 teams from across the world making it the most inclusive and competitive edition of the FIH Hockey Mens Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu 2025 to dateThe MoU signing event was attended by dignitaries including the Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru Udhayanidhi Stalin Dr Atulya Misra IAS Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu Meghanath Reddy IAS Member Secretary SDAT Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh Hockey India Treasurer Sekar J Manoharan and Hockey India Director General Cdr RK SrivastavaSpeaking on the occasion Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru Udhayanidhi Stalin said We are proud that Tamil Nadu has been chosen as the host for the FIH Hockey Mens Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu 2025 This is a proud moment not just for our state but for the entire country Hosting such a prestigious international tournament reflects our commitment to supporting and developing sport at all levelsChennai and Madurai are cities that embody both tradition and progress and we are confident they will provide a worldclass experience for athletes officials and fans from around the world We will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that this tournament is organised with the highest standards of excellence and we hope it ignites a new wave of sporting enthusiasm especially amongst our youth he addedHockey India President Dr Dilip Tirkey stated The FIH Hockey Mens Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu 2025 is a crucial event in the international hockey calendar a breeding ground for future legends of the sport We are extremely pleased to partner with the Government of Tamil Nadu for this edition which is set to be historic with 24 participating teams the highest everTamil Nadu has shown great commitment and enthusiasm towards the sport and I have no doubt that Chennai and Madurai will serve as exceptional host cities We thank the Deputy Chief Minister and the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu for their wholehearted support With India having previously hosted this tournament successfully in Bhubaneswar Lucknow and New Delhi we now look forward to making the 2025 edition the best one yet he concludedHockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh added Hosting the FIH Hockey Mens Junior World Cup for the fourth time is both a privilege and a testament to Indias growing reputation as a dependable and passionate host of major sporting events This tournament is a celebration of youth talent and the global hockey community The inclusion of 24 teams in this edition speaks volumes about the sports expanding reach and we are excited to welcome the best junior talent from every continentWe sincerely thank the Government of Tamil Nadu for its proactive support The MoU signed today is more than just a formality it is a shared promise to deliver an unforgettable tournament that inspires generations to come he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-and-tamil-nadu-govt-sign-mou-to-host-fih-mens-junior-world-cup--621929.html Thu, 19 Jun 2025 15:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-indian-women-go-down-14-against-argentina-621693.html London June 17 The Indian womens hockey team endured a 14 loss to Argentina in their FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 Women match at the Lee Valley Hockey amp Tennis Centre on Tuesday Deepikas powerful dragflick 30 brought India level just before halftime after Victoria Falasco 29 had opened the scoring moments earlier but a clinical late performance saw Argentina take control Agustina Gorzelany struck three times 42 54 55 to seal the win despite a promising display from India that saw multiple attacking chances go narrowly unconvertedDespite a goalless first quarter India drew confidence from three shots on goal in the opening ten minutes with Salima Tete and Lalremsiami both coming close to breaking the deadlock India played a highoctane fastpaced game stringing together quick passes and surging forward with possession looking to unsettle the Argentine defence In contrast Argentina maintained a more measured approach pressing high up the field with composure and structureEarly in the second quarter a swift move from Argentina earned them a penalty corner Navneet Kaur made a sensational save with her stick on the line to deny what looked like a certain goal India responded with a promising move Salima burst down the right flank and squared the ball with precision to Baljeet Kaur but the shot went wideArgentina eventually took the lead in the 29th minute Victoria Falasco pounced on a loose ball inside the circle and fired it low past the left side of the keeperIndia continued to search for the equaliser frequently using the right wing as their preferred route of attack With only seconds remaining in the quarter India won their first penalty corner of the match Deepika was on target sending a low and powerful dragflick into the goal to level the score just before halftimeAs soon as the second half began India were back on the prowl A golden chance went begging when Salima Tetes shot from inside the circle was blocked by the Argentine goalkeeperSoon after India forced another turnover allowing Navneet to drive into the circle and fire a powerful shot but the effort was deflected out of danger India earned two more penalty corners in a dominant third quarter but were held at bay by a disciplined Argentine defenceIndia rued the missed chances as Argentina made the most of their next big opportunity Agustina Gorzelany stepped up and converted a penalty stroke to help her side reclaim the lead in the 40th minuteAt the 47minute mark Salima had another shot on goal denied and was brought down on the rebound The ensuing penalty corner didnt amount to much for India Navneets skill was on display as she carved her way through from the right flank but the move was swiftly shut down by the defenceGorzelany dealt the final blow to Indias prospects In the 54th minute she converted a penalty stroke and five minutes later scored again off another penalty corner to complete her hattrick and secure victory for Argentina IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-indian-women-go-down-14-against-argentina-621693.html Wed, 18 Jun 2025 00:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-junior-mens-hockey-team-jets-off-to-germany-for-4-nations-tournament--621729.html Bengaluru June 18 The Indian Junior Mens Hockey team left for Berlin Germany on Wednesday morning to take part in the upcoming 4 Nations Tournament that is scheduled from June 21 to 25 Led by captain Araijeet Singh Hundal the team will play its first pool stage match against host Germany on June 21 followed by matches against Australia on June 22 and Spain on June 24The top two teams in the pool stage will then compete for the top spot while the bottom two teams will play for third and fourth rankings on June 25 All matches will be held at TC 1899 Blau Wei BerlinBefore their departure Indian Junior Mens Team Captain Araijeet Singh Hundal said This tournament is crucial for us ahead of the FIH Junior World Cup 2025 With just a few months to go its the perfect opportunity for us to assess our strengths try out new combinations and identify areas for improvement Well be facing some of the best hockey teams which will allow us to test our strength and try different strategiesVicecaptain Amir Ali added We want to fill any gaps we might have before the World Cup in November The 4 Nations Tournament will be perfect testing ground not only for the team but for individual players as we will be able assess our strength and weakness and improve upon it accordinglyThe FIH Junior Mens Hockey World Cup 2025 will take place in Chennai and Madurai from 28th November 28 to December 10 this year With less than six months left for the global hockey event the 4 Nations Tournament will serve as a vital preparatory platform for the Indian colts IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-junior-mens-hockey-team-jets-off-to-germany-for-4-nations-tournament--621729.html Wed, 18 Jun 2025 11:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/argentina-one-of-the-best-but-india-wont-go-down-without-a-fight-says-captain-salima-ahead-of-fih-pro-league-clash-621436.html London June 16 After a narrow defeat against Australia the Indian Womens Hockey Team is set to give their all against World No 2 Argentina in their upcoming FIH Pro League 202425 Women matches in London on 17 and 18 June Captain Salima Tete claims her team will give it their all in both games Currently ranked 7th with 9 points India is expecting a tough battle against Argentina who are placed 2nd on the FIH Pro League Women points tableArgentina is ranked No 2 in the world and has won 7 of their 12 FIH Pro League matches so far Coming into this leg of the league we knew they would be one of the toughest teams to beat But we wont go down without a fight well give it our all in both matches The team has been training well to take them on and has been working on various strategies to win crucial points against them Salima was quoted by Hockey IndiaThe Indian womens hockey team will play their first match against Argentina on June 17 followed by the second match on June 18 Both matches will take place at Lee Valley Hockey amp Tennis Centre in LondonVicecaptain Navneet Kaur agreed adding As you saw the team gave Australia a tough fight in the last two matches and were planning to do the same against Argentina Well give it our all and aim to come out victorious A win against Argentina will not only help us gain points but will also give the team a big morale boost as we head to Antwerp and then Berlin for our matches against Belgium and China IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/argentina-one-of-the-best-but-india-wont-go-down-without-a-fight-says-captain-salima-ahead-of-fih-pro-league-clash-621436.html Mon, 16 Jun 2025 17:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-junior-womens-hockey-team-beats-australia-2-1-to-continue-their-unbeaten-run-in-europe-621254.html Kontich June 14 The Indian junior womens hockey team continued its unbeaten run in the tour of Europe with a spirited 21 win over Australia in their fourth and penultimate match of the tour Having already notched up three consecutive wins against hosts Belgium the Indian side showcased its resilience and fighting spirit by coming from behind to defeat a strong Australian outfitThe win came on the day when the senior teams men and women suffered near identical 23 defeats to the Australian men and women teams was a bit boost for Indian hockey as both the men and women teams are currently struggling for footing against strong opponentsAustralia took an early lead through Josie Lawton 5 as she converted a penalty corner with precision to put India on the back foot However the Indian team responded almost immediately Just three minutes later Nandini 8 fired in an equaliser via a penalty corner levelling the score at 11The momentum shifted firmly in Indias favour by the end of the first quarter when the teams Vice Captain Hina Bano 14 capitalised on another penalty corner opportunity to put her side ahead 21Despite multiple chances created by both sides over the remaining three quarters neither team was able to add to the scoreline The Indian team held their defensive structure well to keep the Australian attackers at bay and secure a wellfought victoryThis win marks Indias fourth consecutive triumph on the tour following a clean sweep over Belgium in the opening three gamesThe Indian junior womens team will now look to finish the tour on a high as it prepares for its final match in Europe against the Netherlands on June 17 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-junior-womens-hockey-team-beats-australia-2-1-to-continue-their-unbeaten-run-in-europe-621254.html Sat, 14 Jun 2025 23:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-pro-league-india-go-down-1-2-against-argentina-620942.html Amstelveen Netherlands June 12 India suffered a close 12 defeat against Argentina in their FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 game at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen Netherlands on Thursday Jugraj Singh 4 netted a goal for the Indian team while for Argentina Tomas Domene 9 49 scored a brace Notably Indias regular captain Harmanpreet Singh missed the game due to a finger tissue injury sustained in the previous match In his absence ViceCaptain Hardik Singh stepped up to lead the teamArgentina started the game with high pressing and greater ball possession but India responded with sharp passing and swift circle entries This early momentum earned them a penalty corner which Jugraj Singh 4 converted with a powerful drag flick to hand India the lead Argentina quickly earned a penalty corner of their own but Indian goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak stood tall making a crucial save and clearing the dangerMoments later Pathak was called into action again diving to deny another Argentine penalty corner conversion However the Argentines got third time lucky as Tomas Domene 9 fired home to level the score Both teams continued to threaten but the first quarter ended evenly poised at 11The second quarter saw Argentina pushing forward with early circle entries but Indias defence held firm to thwart their advances India responded by intercepting passes and launching speedy counterattacks putting pressure on Argentinas goalkeeper Tomas Santiago who stood his ground with key savesArgentina too found themselves in promising positions but failed to convert their chances Despite the endtoend action neither side could break the deadlock in the second quarter and the teams went into halftime with the score still level at 11The penultimate quarter saw both teams adopting a cautious approach focusing on maintaining possession and controlling the tempo of the game Much of the action unfolded in the midfield with both India and Argentina finding it difficult to penetrate each others defensive linesAs a result clearcut chances were few and far between and neither side managed to create any substantial threats in the attacking circle The evenly contested third quarter ended without any change to the scoreline which remained tied at 11 heading into the final periodArgentina came out strong in the fourth and final quarter applying relentless pressure on Indias defence with aggressive pressing Their efforts soon bore fruit as Tomas Domene 49 struck his second goal of the match once again converting a penalty corner to give Argentina a 21 lead Trailing for the first time in the game India shifted to a longpassing strategy in search of an equaliserHowever Argentina remained compact at the back successfully absorbing the pressure and denying India any clear breakthroughsIndias best opportunity came in the dying moments when they were awarded a penalty stroke with less than two minutes left on the clock Jugraj Singh stepped up to take the shot but his effort was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Tomas Santiago The crucial save ensured Argentina held on to their narrow lead eventually sealing a 21 victoryAs a result of the loss India now sit fifth in the points table with 15 points from 12 matches They will next play against Australia on June 14It is worth noting that both India and Argentina observed a oneminute silence before the match to pay tribute to the victims of the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad earlier today an incident that has deeply shaken the nation IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-pro-league-india-go-down-1-2-against-argentina-620942.html Fri, 13 Jun 2025 00:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-junior-womens-hockey-team-beats-belgium-2-1-in-its-tour-of-europe-620651.html Antwerp June 11 The Indian junior womens hockey team continued their winning streak in the tour of Europe with a welldeserved win over Belgium India edged past the Belgian side with a tight scoreline of 21 at the Hockey Center of Excellence Wilrijkse Plein in Antwerp Belgium Lalthantluangi 35 and Geeta Yadav 50 scored goals for IndiaThe first half remained goalless as both sides couldnt manage to break the deadlock in the tight contest In the 35th minute India finally scored the opening goal as Lalthantluangi successfully converted a fortunate penalty strokeIn the last quarter Van Hellemont 48 scored the equaliser through a field goal for Belgium However just two minutes later Geeta Yadav replied with a field goal herself and grabbed the winner for IndiaIndia then defended well to fend off the Belgian attacks in the final 10 minutes of the game and ensured they enjoyed another win over BelgiumAfter wrapping up the promising outing at the Four Nations Tournament in Rosario Argentina the Indian team has now reached Europe for the fivematch tour which they kicked off their tour of Europe with a fantastic win against Belgium on SundayThe Indian side won the game 32 at the Hockey Center of Excellence Wilrijkse PleinAfter two consecutive wins the Indian junior women will next play Belgium for the third and final time in their Tour of Europe on June 12In Argentina the Indian side delivered strong performances against quality opposition They registered a 21 win and a 22 23 SO loss against Chile earned a 11 20 SO win and a 24 loss against hosts Argentina and defeated Uruguay twice 32 and 22 31 SONotably these matches are also a key part of Indias preparation for the FIH Hockey Womens Junior World Cup 2025 scheduled to take place in Santiago Chile in December 2025 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-junior-womens-hockey-team-beats-belgium-2-1-in-its-tour-of-europe-620651.html Wed, 11 Jun 2025 13:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/we-are-aware-of-the-task-at-hand-harmanpreet-and-co-raring-to-go-against-argentina-in-european-leg-of-fih-pro-league-620463.html New Delhi June 10 The Indian mens hockey team has not had the best start to the European leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 While the narrow defeats against the Netherlands are now in the past the team is now preparing for its next challenge against Argentina in Amsterdam The two teams have faced each other frequently in recent years and India holds a favourable record against Argentina At the Paris 2024 Olympics the sides played out an entertaining draw However in the FIH Hockey Pro League 202324 Men India defeated Argentina twice the second win coming via a shootoutSpeaking ahead of the upcoming matches captain Harmanpreet Singh said We are aware of the task at hand in the matches against Argentina The team is working hard every day in training and we are confident of doing well Argentina is a strong team and at this level no match is easyWith six matches remaining in the competition India currently sits fourth on the points table with 15 points With a spot at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 up for grabs Indian men are determined to perform well in the remaining fixtures and secure maximum points against tough opponentsReflecting on the road ahead Harmanpreet added We are prepared for whatever comes our way Weve prepared well for this tournament and tried various combinations and strategies in the leadup We are confident of putting on a strong performance against ArgentinaSo far in the FIH Hockey Pro League Men India has never lost a regulationtime match to Argentina The only defeat came in a shootout in 2022 in Bhubaneswar With both upcoming fixtures set to be played in Amsterdam India will aim to maintain its strong recordThe team has a good track record against Argentina but were not taking anything for granted Those results are in the past we need to perform in the present to stay on course for World Cup qualification The team has been training well and the coaching staff has been giving us a lot of encouragement Im confident well deliver strong performances Harmanpreet concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/we-are-aware-of-the-task-at-hand-harmanpreet-and-co-raring-to-go-against-argentina-in-european-leg-of-fih-pro-league-620463.html Tue, 10 Jun 2025 13:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/we-are-aware-of-the-task-at-hand-harmanpreet-amp-co-raring-to-go-against-argentina-in-european-leg-of-fih-pro-league-620464.html New Delhi June 10 The Indian mens hockey team has not had the best start to the European leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 While the narrow defeats against the Netherlands are now in the past the team is now preparing for its next challenge against Argentina in Amsterdam The two teams have faced each other frequently in recent years and India holds a favourable record against Argentina At the Paris 2024 Olympics the sides played out an entertaining draw However in the FIH Hockey Pro League 202324 Men India defeated Argentina twice the second win coming via a shootoutSpeaking ahead of the upcoming matches captain Harmanpreet Singh said We are aware of the task at hand in the matches against Argentina The team is working hard every day in training and we are confident of doing well Argentina is a strong team and at this level no match is easyWith six matches remaining in the competition India currently sits fourth on the points table with 15 points With a spot at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 up for grabs Indian men are determined to perform well in the remaining fixtures and secure maximum points against tough opponentsReflecting on the road ahead Harmanpreet added We are prepared for whatever comes our way Weve prepared well for this tournament and tried various combinations and strategies in the leadup We are confident of putting on a strong performance against ArgentinaSo far in the FIH Hockey Pro League Men India has never lost a regulationtime match to Argentina The only defeat came in a shootout in 2022 in Bhubaneswar With both upcoming fixtures set to be played in Amsterdam India will aim to maintain its strong recordThe team has a good track record against Argentina but were not taking anything for granted Those results are in the past we need to perform in the present to stay on course for World Cup qualification The team has been training well and the coaching staff has been giving us a lot of encouragement Im confident well deliver strong performances Harmanpreet concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/we-are-aware-of-the-task-at-hand-harmanpreet-amp-co-raring-to-go-against-argentina-in-european-leg-of-fih-pro-league-620464.html Tue, 10 Jun 2025 13:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-hockey-pro-league-india-go-down-fighting-2-3-against-the-netherlands-620382.html Amstelveen June 9 The Indian Mens Hockey Team went down fighting 23 against the Netherlands in a thrilling FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 Mens at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen Netherlands Abhishek 20 and Jugraj Singh 54 netted a goal each for India while Thijs van Dam 24 Tjep Hoedemakers 33 and Jip Janssen 57 were the goalscorers for the NetherlandsIndia began the first quarter with a clear intent to control the game maintaining possession and executing quick passes to penetrate the oppositions defence early on In the sixth minute forward Abhishek nearly put India ahead when he found space inside the D and unleashed a powerful shot that narrowly missed the target The Netherlands responded with a switch to counterattacking play creating a few scoring chances of their own However the Indian defence held firm under pressure calmly absorbing the attacks while continuing to challenge the Dutch backline at the other end Despite the fastpaced endtoend action the opening quarter ended goallessThe second quarter saw the Netherlands ramp up their intensity adopting a more aggressive approach and nearly taking the lead with two close chances in quick succession But India remained composed sticking to their possessionbased strategy and dictating the tempo through midfield control The visitors also won their first penalty corner of the match but Harmanpreet Singhs shot was deflected out Indias persistence finally paid off when Abhishek 20th playing his milestone 100th international match broke free from his marker and finished clinically after receiving a perfectly timed pass from Shilanand Lakra giving India a 10 leadHowever the advantage was shortlived as just four minutes later Dutch skipper Thierry Brinkman showcased his class with a dazzling run into the circle before setting up Thijs van Dam 24 who calmly slotted the ball home to make it 11 The remainder of the quarter saw both sides probing for openings but the defences held firm as the teams went into the halftime break levelThe Netherlands came out with intent in the third quarter pressing high and disrupting Indias rhythm by intercepting passes in midfield Their aggressive approach paid off in when Floris Wortelboer delivered a sharp cross from the left flank to Tjep Hoedemakers 33 whose tame shot narrowly slipped past Indian goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak to give the hosts a 21 lead Buoyed by the goal the Netherlands maintained the pressure and earned their first penalty corner of the match but failed to convert India meanwhile shifted to a counterattacking strategy and earned a flurry of penalty corners in quick succession yet couldnt find the equaliser The penultimate quarter concluded with the Netherlands holding a slender 21 advantageThe fourth and final quarter saw India intensify their efforts stringing together quick passes and making several entries into the Dutch circle in pursuit of an equaliser With under seven minutes left on the clock Abhishek came agonisingly close to scoring again as he beat his marker and unleashed a powerful shot that struck the side netting India continued to pile on the pressure and were eventually rewarded with their fourth penalty corner of the match This time Jugraj Singh 54 stepped up and made no mistake hammering the ball into the net to level the score at 22Moments later India had a golden chance to take the lead when Lalit Kumar Upadhyay found himself oneonone with Dutch goalkeeper Maurits Visser Attempting a cheeky scoop over the keeper Lalit was denied by Vissers alert reflexes The Netherlands responded swiftly and made the most of a penalty corner earned in the dying moments of the game as Jip Janssen 57 converted it to restore the home sides lead India threw everything forward in the final minutes but the Dutch defence held firm to seal a thrilling 32 victoryNotably the match marked a significant milestone for forward Abhishek who was playing his 100th international match for India since making his senior team debut in 2022 The 25yearold has been a vital part of the Indian attack scoring 39 international goals to date His contributions have been instrumental in Indias major successes including the Gold medal at the Hero Asian Champions Trophy China 2024 Bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics Silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and Gold at the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022India are currently fourth in the points tally having accumulated 15 points from 10 games They will be next seen in action against Argentina on June 11 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-hockey-pro-league-india-go-down-fighting-2-3-against-the-netherlands-620382.html Mon, 09 Jun 2025 23:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-junior-womens-hockey-team-beat-belgium-3-2-620212.html Antwerp June 8 The Indian junior womens hockey team kicked off their tour of Europe with a fantastic win against Belgium on Sunday The Indian side won the game 32 at the Hockey Center of Excellence Wilrijkse Plein in Antwerp Belgium In what was a competitive contest it was India who opened the scoring through Geeta Yadav 11 However in the second quarter hosts Belgium equalised through Marie Goenns 25 Soon after Belgium took the lead as Louise van Hecke 34 found the back of the netIndia came back fighting and it was Sonam 40 levelled things up India continued to attack and the pressure paid off as they won a Penalty Corner soon after which was converted by Lalthantluangi 45 After that the Indian Junior Womens Hockey Team did not let Belgium get another equaliser and walked away with the winIndia will take on Belgium in the second game of their European tour on June 10After wrapping up the promising outing at the Four Nations Tournament in Rosario Argentina the Indian team has now reached Europe for the fivematch tourIndia are set to play three matches against Belgium in Antwerp They will then face Australia at Beerschot Tennis Hockey Padel Club in Kontich before wrapping up the tour with a match against the Netherlands at Hockey Club Kampong in UtrechtIn Argentina the Indian side delivered strong performances against quality opposition They registered a 21 win and a 22 23 SO loss against Chile earned a 11 20 SO win and a 24 loss against hosts Argentina and defeated Uruguay twice 32 and 22 31 SO The tour served as an important step in the teams preparations offering valuable lessons in handling highpressure scenarios and adapting to different playing stylesNotably these matches are also a key part of Indias preparation for the FIH Hockey Womens Junior World Cup 2025 scheduled to take place in Santiago Chile in December 2025 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-junior-womens-hockey-team-beat-belgium-3-2-620212.html Sun, 08 Jun 2025 19:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/we-want-to-finish-as-high-as-possible-fulton-eyes-world-cup-berth-in-europe-leg-of-pro-league-619993.html New Delhi June 6 Ahead of the start of the European leg of the FIH Pro League 202425 Craig Fulton head coach of the Indian mens hockey team has stressed finishing as high as possible in the standings to secure direct qualification for next years World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands India are currently ranked third in the FIH Pro league with fifteen points in eight games only behind England and Belgium respectively Harmanpreet Singhled side has the chance to improve their position to boost their chances for World Cup qualification as only the top two teams of the FIH Pro League will secure entry for the quadrennial showpieceWith Belgium and the Netherlands already through by virtue of being the host nations a successful European leg will only strengthen Indias caseI think its pretty clear that this is one of the ways of securing qualification for the 2026 World Cup Obviously if it doesnt work out we have the Asia Cup in August in Bihar India but weve been training well for this So we really want to try and finish as high as we possibly can and get on the podium Bearing in mind that Australia the Netherlands and Belgium have already qualified because of hosting and Australia won it last year So its the next highest place team that should get the qualifying spot Fulton told the media during a virtual interaction on FridayIn their first India will take on the Netherlands on Saturday and then again on Monday followed by a doubleheader against Argentina on June 11 and 12 with all four matches set to take place at the Wagener Stadium in AmstelveenThe team will then head to Antwerp Belgium for their next challenge where they will lock horns with Australia on June 14 and 15 before ending their campaign with two crucial matches against hosts Belgium on June 21 and 22Talking about the preparations of the side for the physically challenging tour where they will play six games in nine days Fulton said the players are geared up for it and have worked hard in training to cope with the workload pressureSo everything is geared around being physically able to cope with the load of the games When we get to the sixth game we have four days off and then we play Belgium four days later in a backtoback game So I think everything we were pushing for was around being physically conditioned to play against the best teams in the world that starting off with Holland and to be nice and physically ready for them That was the whole reason behind pushing as hard as we have he saidAnd yeah well see how we go tomorrow We have training just now in the stadium So yeah were looking forward to it Fulton addedHarmanpreet also expressed confidence in their preparations at the national camp in Bengaluru and three practice matches in Ireland to do well in the tournamentThe Indian captain added he is fit and healthy after his recovery from wrist and ankle injuries which limited his participation in the Hockey India League HIL and Pro League earlier this yearI had a good rehab in Bengaluru with physios I practiced with the team and also had extra sessions Overall it was a bit of overload fatigue and tough but I knew what I had to achieve Now Im feeling strong and hoping to do well Harmanpreet explained IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/we-want-to-finish-as-high-as-possible-fulton-eyes-world-cup-berth-in-europe-leg-of-pro-league-619993.html Fri, 06 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-jr-womens-beat-uruguay-in-shootout-at-four-nations-tournament-618973.html Rosario Argentina June 1 The Indian Junior womens hockey team secured a 31 win in the shootout against Uruguay following a 22 draw in regulation time in their fifth fixture of the Four Nations Tournament Indias vicecaptain Hina 10 and Lalrinpuii 24 put India in control early in the match while Geeta Kanika and Lalthantluagi converted their chances in the shootout to seal the victoryIndia got off to a strong start as Hina opened the scoring in the 10th minute followed by Lalrinpuii doubling the lead in the 24th minute to give India a 20 advantage heading into halftimeUruguay however mounted a comeback in the final quarter Ines de Posadas pulled one back in the 54th minute before Milagros Seigal struck three minutes later to level the score at 22In the shootout India held their composure as Geeta Kanika and Lalthantluagi scored three consecutive goals while Uruguay were restricted to just one conversionEarlier Indian junior women suffered a 13 defeat in a shootout against Chile after a 22 draw in their fourth match Sukhveer Kaur 35 and Kanika Siwach 47 were the goalscorers for India while Jacinta Solari 27 and Captain Laura Muller 42 scored for ChileIndian junior women began their friendly Four Nations Tournament on a positive note with a 21 win over Chile on May 25 Sukhveer Kaur 39 and Kanika Siwach 58 were the goal scorers for India Javeria Saenz 20 scored the only goal for Chile They then enjoyed a 32 victory over Uruguay in their second match on May 26 The game remained level by the end of the third quarter but Kanika Siwach scored a crucial brace in the final stretch to help India emerge victoriousThey clinched a hardfought 20 win in the shootout against hosts Argentina after a 11 draw in regulation time in their third match Kanika 44 scored Indias lone goal during regulation time while Lalrinpuii and Lalthantluangi netted in the shootoUt to secure the victory IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-jr-womens-beat-uruguay-in-shootout-at-four-nations-tournament-618973.html Sun, 01 Jun 2025 11:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/four-nations-tournament-indian-jr-womens-hockey-team-loses-to-chile-in-shootout-618618.html Rosario Argentina May 30 The Indian junior womens hockey team suffered a 13 defeat in a shootout against Chile after a 22 draw over four quarters in their fourth match of the friendly Four Nations Tournament on Friday Sukhveer Kaur 35 and Kanika Siwach 47 were the goalscorers for India while Jacinta Solari 27 and Captain Laura Muller 42 scored for ChileChile opened the scoring in the second quarter with Jacinta Solari converting a penalty corner in the 27th minute India equalised five minutes into the third quarter as Sukhveer Kaur also converted a penalty cornerChile regained the lead in the 42nd minute through a field goal from Captain Laura Muller However India started the fourth quarter strongly with Kanika Siwach continuing her goalscoring streak by netting the equaliser in the 47th minuteWith neither side able to find a winner in regulation time the match went into a shootout where Chile emerged victorious winning 31 Josefina Constanza Gutierrez Isabel Leonor Messen and Trinidad Antonia Barrios scored for Chile while Sonam was the lone scorer for India in the shootoutEarlier India clinched a hardfought 20 win in the shootout against hosts Argentina after a 11 draw in regulation time in their previous match of the tournamentIndian junior women began their friendly Four Nations Tournament on a positive note with a 21 win over Chile on May 25 Sukhveer Kaur 39 and Kanika Siwach 58 were the goal scorers for India Javeria Saenz 20 scored the only goal for ChileThey then enjoyed a 32 victory over Uruguay in their second match on May 26 The game remained level by the end of the third quarter but Kanika Siwach scored a crucial brace in the final stretch to help India emerge victoriousIndia will next face Uruguay on Sunday IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/four-nations-tournament-indian-jr-womens-hockey-team-loses-to-chile-in-shootout-618618.html Fri, 30 May 2025 12:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/salima-led-india-womens-hockey-team-leaves-for-european-leg-of-fih-pro-league-618444.html New Delhi May 28 The Indian Womens Hockey Team departed from Bengalurus Kempegowda International Airport for Amsterdam on Wednesday for the European leg of the FIH Pro League 202425 The team will train in Amsterdam Netherlands until June 8 before heading to London UK for their first four matches against Australia and Argentina India will take on the Australian womens team on June 14 and 15 followed by matches against the Argentine womens team on June 17 and 18Subsequently the team will travel to Antwerp on June 19 for their next two matches against the Belgium National Team scheduled for June 21 and 22 They will conclude the European leg with two matches against China on June 28 and 29 in Berlin GermanyAhead of their departure Captain Salima Tete highlighted the significance of the tour stating This is a very crucial leg of the FIH Pro League for us as we will be facing four very strong teams Weve already played a test match against Australia earlier this year and well further finetune our strategy in Amsterdam before our matches against the Hockeyroos and othersVicecaptain Navneet Kaur echoed Salimas thoughts adding We know we have some tough games ahead but the team is confident after our performance in the Bhubaneswar leg of the Pro League Were determined to go all out and collect valuable points in EuropeIndia will look to build on their February momentum when they held world No 1 Netherlands to a 22 draw and earned a bonus point in the shootout in Bhubaneswar Earlier this month the team also tested new combinations in Perth Australia during five friendly matches against Australia A and the HockeyroosIndia are currently placed in sixth position in the FIH Pro League 202425 points table with nine points from eight matches Defending champions The Netherlands lead the standings with 19 points from eight matches while Belgium are second with 17 points followed by China on 16 points Spain 14 and Argentina 14 are fourth and fifth respectively separated by goal difference IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/salima-led-india-womens-hockey-team-leaves-for-european-leg-of-fih-pro-league-618444.html Wed, 28 May 2025 18:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-junior-womens-hockey-team-beats-uruguay-3-2-in-the-four-nations-tournament-617994.html New Delhi May 26  The Indian junior womens hockey team enjoyed a 32 victory over Uruguay in their second match during the friendly Four Nations Tournament in Rosario Argentina on Sunday as per IST Sonam 21 and Kanika Siwach 46 50 scored crucial goals for India while Milagros Seigal 3 and Agustina Mari 24 found the net for UruguayUruguay took an early lead in the game as Milagros Seigal successfully converted a penalty corner in the 3rd minute to push her side ahead early on In the second quarter India scored the equaliser as Sonam scored through a penalty corner in the 21st minute However just three minutes later Uruguay reclaimed the lead as Agustina Mari scored a goal through a penalty corner as wellThe game remained level by the end of the third quarter but Kanika Siwach scored a crucial brace in the final stretch to help India emerge victorious She first scored through a penalty corner in the 46th minute followed by a decisive field goal in the 50th minute to seal the welldeserved winEarlier the Indian team started their tour on a high with a 21 win over Chile in Rosario Sukhveer Kaur 39 and Kanika Siwach 58 were the goalscorers for India Javeria Saenz 20 scored the only goal for ChileChiles Javeria Saenz broke the deadlock in the 20th minute to give her side a slim lead heading into the second half India however promptly replied with an equalising goal in the third quarter courtesy of Sukhveer Kaur in the 39th minute In the dying minutes of the match Kanika Siwach scored the winning goal in the 58th minute to ensure Indias victoryIndia will next take on host Argentina on Wednesday as per IST IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-junior-womens-hockey-team-beats-uruguay-3-2-in-the-four-nations-tournament-617994.html Mon, 26 May 2025 11:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/birendra-lakra-joins-indian-junior-mens-hockey-team-as-assistant-coach-617757.html New Delhi May 24 Hockey India on Saturday announced that former Indian mens team stalwart Birendra Lakra has joined the Indian junior mens team as assistant coach The 35yearold veteran defender will work closely with legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh who currently serves as the coach of the team Lakras transition from a player to a mentor is expected to strengthen the Indian junior mens teams defensive structure and overall game temperament key elements as they gear up for a highly competitive FIH Hockey Mens Junior World Cup 2025 at home scheduled to take place from November 28 to December 10 in Chennai and MaduraiA seasoned international Lakra made his debut for India in 2010 and went on to become one of the countrys most consistent and reliable defenders He represented India in two Olympic Games London 2012 and Tokyo 2020 where India won a historic bronze medal Over an illustrious career spanning over a decade Lakra played a key role in Indias campaigns at the World Cup Asian Games Commonwealth Games and other major tournamentsHis impressive career highlights include a gold medal at the 2014 Asian Games bronze in 2018 silver at the 2013 Asia Cup silver at the 2014 CWG and silver at the 2018 Champions Trophy He was also part of the Indian squad that won bronze medals in the World League Finals in 2015 Raipur and Bhubaneswar and achieved podium finishes at the Asian Champions Trophy gold in 2016 silver in 2012Most recently Odishaborn Lakra showcased his fitness and zeal playing for Team Gonasika in the Hockey India League 202425 further underlining his enduring commitment to Indian hockeySpeaking about his new role Birendra Lakra said It is a great honour to be part of the Indian Junior Mens setup at such an important time I know what it takes to wear the India jersey and now I look forward to helping the next generation of players prepare for the big stage Working alongside someone like Sreejesh who has been a teammate and an inspiration is an exciting challenge We are committed to building a fearless and wellprepared team for the tournaments ahead especially the allimportant Junior World Cup which will take place later this yearPR Sreejesh coach of the Indian junior mens team expressed his enthusiasm about the addition and stated Having Birendra join us is a massive boost He brings a wealth of experience tactical intelligence and calm leadership that will be invaluable to these young players We have shared many battles on the field and Im confident we will bring the same synergy and commitment to this new chapter as coaches Together we want to nurture a squad that can make the country proud IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/birendra-lakra-joins-indian-junior-mens-hockey-team-as-assistant-coach-617757.html Sat, 24 May 2025 13:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/inaugural-hockey-india-masters-cup-2025-to-begin-from-june-18-in-chennai-617614.html New Delhi May 23 Hockey India on Friday announced the venue and dates for the firstever Hockey India Masters Cup 2025 Men amp Women The inaugural edition of this tournament will be hosted by the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu in Chennai from June 18 to 27 This event marks a new chapter in Indian hockey offering a dedicated platform for veteran players With competitions in both mens and womens categories the Hockey India Masters Cup is poised to be a celebration of longevity passion and the enduring love for the game The names of the teams for both categories will be released shortlyAs per the regulations a player must be aged 40 and above to compete in the mens category and 35 and above in the womens category To participate in the event players must register through their respective State Member UnitsThe competition will follow a leaguecumknockout format with pools structured based on the final number of participating teamsFormer Indian womens hockey captain Asunta Lakra expressed her excitement for the tournament and said Being part of the firstever Hockey India Masters Cup is a deeply emotional and exciting moment for me Hockey has shaped who I am and to have the chance to return to the field surrounded by fellow veterans whove shared similar journeys is truly specialThis tournament isnt just about competitionits about legacy passion and the lifelong bond we all have with the sport I applaud Hockey India for creating this platform for former players to relive the joy of the game and continue inspiring the next generation Im proud to wear my boots again not just for the love of the game but for everything it has given us over the years IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/inaugural-hockey-india-masters-cup-2025-to-begin-from-june-18-in-chennai-617614.html Fri, 23 May 2025 17:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-names-24-member-junior-womens-team-for-four-nations-tournament-in-argentina-616600.html New Delhi May 17  Hockey India has announced the 24member junior womens team that will participate in the upcoming Four Nations Tournament in Rosario Argentina from May 25 to June 2 The tournament will feature four countries Argentina Uruguay Chile and India As part of their preparation for the FIH Hockey Junior Womens World Cup in December the Indian team will play two matches against each of the participating nations to evaluate their performance assess team combinations and refine strategiesThe Indian squad will be led by goalkeeper Nidhi who has been named the captain while forward Hina Bano will serve as the ViceCaptain The selected team includes Engil Harsha Rani Minz as the second goalkeeper while Vidyashree V has been named as a standby The defensive unit comprises Mamita Oram Lalthantluangi Manisha Puja Sahoo Parwati Topno Nandini and Sakshi ShuklaThe midfield will feature Priyanka Yadav Anisha Sahu Rajni Kerketta Binima Dhan Khaidem Shileima Chanu Sanjana Horo Supriya Kujur and Priyanka Dogra with Huda Khan and Munmuni Das listed as standby midfielders The forward line includes Hina Bano Sonam Sukhveer Kaur Geeta Yadav Lalrinpuii Kanika Siwach and Karmanpreet Kaur while Selestina Horo has been named as a standby forwardSpeaking about the squad selection Indian junior womens team coach Tushar Khandker said We are looking to identify our best players from this squad especially with the Junior World Cup just six months away This tour will provide valuable international exposure and experience for the players In the long term we are also preparing them for a smooth transition to the senior team That transition is only possible if they perform well in major tournaments like the World Cup which makes this tour extremely importantIndia will take on Chile in their opening match of the tournament on May 25 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-names-24-member-junior-womens-team-for-four-nations-tournament-in-argentina-616600.html Sat, 17 May 2025 14:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-i-have-never-had-a-plan-b-poovanna-eyes-india-debut-after-recovering-from-serious-injury-616450.html Bengaluru May 16 After a brief stint with the Indian junior team in 2023 Poovanna Chandura Boby is now training with the senior core group ahead of European leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League leg The 22yearold is currently part of the senior national camp at the Sports Authority of India SAI Centre in Bengaluru and has made it into the 40member core group With the junior team Poovanna had a fruitful spell winning the gold and bronze medals at the 2022 and 2023 Sultan of Johar Cup respectively He was also part of mens Junior Asia Cup winning squad in 2023 and made it to the senior national camp in August 2024About his experience training in the camp Poovanna said Ive played for junior team in 2023 and now training with the senior players I see a lot of differences between them and us Theres a lot of work we need to put in to get to that level It doesnt matter how fit you are you need to get much better to compete against European teams We are getting gassed out every session but we need to push hard to keep up It has been a brilliant journey so farHe played the Hockey India League 202425 for champions Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers however he couldnt play the complete tournament due to an unfortunate injury In their seventh match against JSW Soorma Hockey Club Poovanna suffered a facial injury while defending a penalty cornerIt was a penalty corner and I generally dont rush third so I didnt have my face mask on Harmanpreet Singh fired a shot and it deflected off my teammates stick and hit my upper cheek So I was rushed off the field and I had to get my surgery done right away I couldnt play the rest of the tournament he explainedPoovanna also revealed that he could have made his senior team debut during the home leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 in Bhubaneswar but missed out on the opportunity due to his injury Thankfully we won the HIL but the coach told me that I was called up for the Pro League squad but I couldnt go because of my injury Hence I joined the camp early worked with the physio in order to get in good shape for the training camp in March he addedHailing from Kodagu formerly known as Coorg Poovana comes from a family where hockey is a proud tradition The Kodava hockey festival is renowned worldwide for being one of the worlds largest hockey tournaments with hundreds of families participating in the event as a traditionWhen I was a kid I used to watch those games and I always wanted to wear my family jersey so that inspired me to start playing in school and I got naturally good at it Playing for my family team was a dream come true for me after which I pursued the sport professionally I have never had a Plan B hockey has always been my top priorityTalking about the dynamic he shares with the other senior players of the squad Poovanna shared The seniors are very easy to talk to and we youngsters learn a lot from them since they have been playing for a lot of years and have much better experience than us We need to learn from them because we need to carry forward their legacy in the coming yearsI look up to Manpreet Singh and Hardik Singh a lot because they play the position I play in midfield I like how calm and composed they are when they get the ball and progress the game ahead Some things that they do on the field are truly inspiringPoovanna also spoke about his experience training under coach Craig Fulton Im training under him right now and hes really good Hes easy to approach and you can ask him whatever you want and he gives you clear answers Whenever we train if someone does something wrong he stops the game and he teaches them which helps us a lot and gives a very valuable perspectiveAfter missing out on the opportunity in February Poovanna is determined to make his Indian senior team debut and solidify his position in the squad during the European leg of the FIH Pro League The upcoming tournament is crucial for me and I will ensure I work on my shortcomings tirelessly and do my best with whatever chances I get he concluded on a strong note IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-i-have-never-had-a-plan-b-poovanna-eyes-india-debut-after-recovering-from-serious-injury-616450.html Fri, 16 May 2025 16:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-back-in-national-camp-forward-selvam-karthi-is-hungry-for-games-and-goals-616299.html New Delhi 15 May The Indian mens hockey team is preparing for their European leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 where they will face the likes of the Netherlands Argentina Australia and Belgium And making his comeback in the national camp is the forward Selvam Karthi Speaking on being drafted back into the national team setup for the first time since the Asian Champions Trophy Chennai 2023 Karthi said I am very happy to be back in the national camp But there is work to do and my aim is to make it to the final squad for the FIH Hockey Pro League I had been working hard on my own and now the focus is solely to continue with my efforts so that I am part of the Indian team in the major tournaments that are coming up in the futureTeam will have their task cut out in June during the FIH Hockey Pro League and the 23yearold forward is looking to make a mark Speaking on what he hopes to achieve in the next month Karthi who has toured with the national team in Europe said I have played in Europe before this so it wont be a new place for me in that sense but my aim is to do well for the team and score important goals and make an impact for the teamHe added My aim was to first make a comeback in the national team and now that I am here in the camp I want to do well so that I am part of the Indian team that travels to Europe Over there I hope to do my best and help the team go forwardHailing from Tamil Nadu Karthi opened up about the conversations he has been having with the leadership group of the Indian mens team He said The coaches encouraged me a lot and they told me to work hard mainly on fitness and also on my finishing in front of goal These are some of the aspects I am working on continuouslyLooking ahead to the opposition that the Indian mens team will face in the upcoming leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League Karthi explained that no game is going to be easyThe Netherlands are the Olympic gold medallists and they will be a tough opponent for sure but we are confident that we can counter them with our strengths Belgium Australia and Argentina are also teams that play a very fast brand of hockey just like the Indian team So we have to read the situations well and play accordingly during the matches so that we can return with positive results he saidCurrently we are working hard in training and also doing a few extra sessions as we prepare for the matches that are coming up I have been working with the group and on my own as well in the camp to improve my game Kanthi signed off IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-back-in-national-camp-forward-selvam-karthi-is-hungry-for-games-and-goals-616299.html Thu, 15 May 2025 16:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-junior-womens-hockey-team-set-to-play-four-nations-tournament-in-argentina-615884.html New Delhi May 13 The Indian junior womens hockey team is all set to embark on an exciting tour of Argentina for a friendly Four Nations Tournament scheduled from May 25 to June 2 as per IST The team will travel to Rosario Argentina where they will play six friendly matches against Argentina Uruguay and Chile The tournament will begin on May 25 with India playing backtoback matches against Chile and Uruguay on May 25 and 26 respectively After a rest day they will face hosts Argentina on May 28The team will then follow the same sequence in the return leg taking on Chile on May 30 Uruguay on June 1 and Argentina on June 2 This tour is a crucial part of the teams preparations for the FIH Hockey Junior Womens World Cup scheduled to take place in Santiago Chile in December 2025Speaking about the importance of the friendly matches Indian junior womens hockey team coach Tushar Khandker said We are preparing for the Junior World Cup later this year and since the tour to Rosario is a Four Nations tournament we are looking to identify the best of the best from this squad with the World Cup in mind Our aim is to gain as much experience as possible and assess where we stand based on past performances to understand how much we have improvedWhen asked about the opposition teams Khandker added Whenever you play an international match be it a tour bilateral series test match or tournament you are representing India So the objective is always to give your best and perform to your full potential regardless of the opponent Our main focus in this tournament will be to execute our strategies effectively and give the girls as many match opportunities as possible so they can gain the experience and confidence needed ahead of the Junior World CupThe Indian Junior Womens Team is scheduled to depart for Rosario Argentina on May 21 to acclimatise and prepare ahead of the tournament IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-junior-womens-hockey-team-set-to-play-four-nations-tournament-in-argentina-615884.html Tue, 13 May 2025 14:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-names-24-member-team-for-european-leg-of-fih-pro-league-615665.html New Delhi May 12 Hockey India has unveiled the 24member Indian womens hockey team set to compete in the European leg of the FIH Pro League 202425 scheduled to take place in London Antwerp and Berlin from June 14 to 29 India will play twice against each of the four participating teams Australia Argentina Belgium and China beginning their campaign with a clash against Australia on June 14The squad will be led by midfield dynamo Salima Tete as captain with experienced forward Navneet Kaur serving as vicecaptain The team includes goalkeepers Savita and Bichu Devi Kharibam The defenders selected are Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam Jyoti Suman Devi Thoudam Jyoti Singh Ishika Chaudhary and Jyoti ChhatriThe midfield features Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke Sujata Kujur Manisha Chauhan and Neha with attacking midfielders Salima Tete Lalremsiami Sharmila Devi Sunelita Toppo and Mahima Tete The forward line is made up of Deepika Navneet Kaur Deepika Soreng Baljeet Kaur Rutaja Dadaso Pisal Beauty Dungdung and Sakshi RanaThe standby list includes goalkeeper Bansari Solanki and defender Ajmina KujurIndias performance in the Bhubaneswar leg of the league was marked by both resilience and learning moments The team registered two wins and two draws accumulating nine points to place sixth in the standings They opened strongly against England with a 32 victory and a draw but then faced three consecutive defeats two to Spain and one to Germany A 10 comeback win against Germany helped the team regain momentumTheir closing matches against World No 1 Netherlands demonstrated grit and growth Despite a 24 loss in the first game India earned 13 penalty corners and put the Dutch under significant pressure In the final match they held the Netherlands to a 22 draw and clinched a bonus point with a shootout win ending their home campaign on a high noteSpeaking on the squad selection Indian womens hockey team chief coach Harendra Singh said Weve gone with a balanced squad that blends experience with young talent The European leg is a crucial phase of the Pro League and we are expecting highintensity matches against some of the best teams in the world Every player selected has shown great commitment and readiness during our recent camps and Australia tourAlso the Pro League matches in Bhubaneswar showed us both our strengths and the areas where we need to sharpen up We have taken those lessons seriously and the group is hungry to raise our performance level The European leg will be a great test of our mental toughness and tactical discipline Our goal is to keep building momentum and grow as a team with every match he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-names-24-member-team-for-european-leg-of-fih-pro-league-615665.html Mon, 12 May 2025 15:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/junior-hockey-star-sunil-jojo-eyes-national-breakthrough-and-medal-glory-614655.html Bengaluru May 7 Progressing from the junior to senior level may seem a natural and logical move for a player but it is quite a challenging step considering the different standards Young hockey player Sunil Jojo has gone through this phase in the last few weeks From Rourkela to the senior mens national coaching camp the 22yearold defender is embracing the next phase of his hockey journey Having represented India twice at the Junior Hockey World Cup and featured in the bronzemedal finish at the recent Sultan of Johor Cup Sunil now finds himself training among the countrys eliteIt takes some getting used to Its not easy Sunil said about making the jump to the senior camp for the first time The physicality is much more and the pace of the game is also very quick so you need to adjust to that Theres a change in the skill level too so you need to train very hard Now that I am here Im learning to play this way he was quoted as saying by Hockey India in a release on WednesdaySunil identifies his game awareness and tackling as his key strengths but remains focused on selfimprovement The strongest parts of my game are awareness and tackling but I know I need to work hard on my stamina and endurance to become the best player I can beLike many young Indian players Sunil has long looked up to Indian hockeys maestro Manpreet Singh Now training alongside him Sunil is making the most of the opportunity to observe and learnIm with him a lot now and I can learn a lot from him he said He plays in multiple positions and roles so I try to learn how he adapts to different situationsWith a clear goal in mind Sunil added I want to be a regular part of the Indian team and take part in all competitions going forward Like most of us my dream is to win medals for the countrySunil was also picked by UP Rudras in the recently revived Hockey India League Though his time on the pitch was limited he valued the exposure It was a great opportunity While I didnt get to play many matches I learned a lot in the dressing room and training ground and I hope to use that experience going forwardFor Sunil success at the top level goes beyond just physical training I think the most important thing that the best players in the world have is mental focus If you have that then all your goals are achievableA product of Odishas rich hockey culture Sunil has also used the sport to empower his familys life Employed with Southeastern Railways hes proud to be able to give back It means a lot to me to support my family and ease their burden Growing up they supported me a lot so its nice to do what I can for them he shared IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/junior-hockey-star-sunil-jojo-eyes-national-breakthrough-and-medal-glory-614655.html Wed, 07 May 2025 17:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/after-transition-into-senior-set-up-sujata-kujur-has-eyes-on-the-olympic-games-614353.html New Delhi May 6 From the hockey fields of Sundargarh in Odisha where the sport is a way of life young Sujata Kujur is quietly scripting her own journey The 21yearold defender recently made the transition into the senior setup of the Indian Womens Hockey Team and was part of the squad that toured Australia one of the toughest assignments in international hockey Reflecting on her debut tour with the senior team Sujata said The tour was a great experience for me as it was my first time playing with the senior team Theres always a bit more pressure in such situations but I learned a lot just by observing the seniors and understanding how they approach training and matchesThe senior players were very warm and encouraging right from the beginning They kept telling me not to take too much pressure and to just focus on playing my natural game Everyone was very supportive she addedSujatas hockey journey however wasnt an easy one Growing up in Sundargarh she looked up to Deep Grace Ekka and began playing hockey at the age of 10 Despite financial constraints her determination never waveredI started playing in my hometowns academy when I was quite young At first I didnt even have my own hockey stick or shoes so I would borrow from my teammates There were times I had to play barefoot because my shoes were torn but I never stopped playing she recalledThe youngest of three siblings Sujata says that support from her family has always been unwavering My parents have always stood by me Not once did they say that I shouldnt play hockey They always encouraged me to give my best and work hard she saidThe callup for the Australia tour was a dream come true When I was selected my parents and entire family were overjoyed I had only recently joined the national camp so I couldnt believe it myself It was a very proud moment for all of us she saidRecalling the early years Sujata said I got my first hockey stick when I was around 15 The coaches at my academy constantly motivated me to keep working hard and improve every dayHaving made her first appearance for India in the friendlies in Perth Sujata now has her sights set firmly on the future My dream is to play more matches for India I want to be part of the Indian team at the Olympics and represent the country at that prestigious tournament she said IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/after-transition-into-senior-set-up-sujata-kujur-has-eyes-on-the-olympic-games-614353.html Tue, 06 May 2025 13:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/my-goal-is-to-improve-my-fitness-skills-pratap-lakra-on-call-up-to-senior-hockey-national-camp-614181.html New Delhi May 5 For Pratap Lakra the path to the Indian senior mens hockey camp has been anything but linear The 24yearold defender from Sundargarh Odisha a district known for producing hockey stalwarts has scripted a powerful comeback story after his career derailed during the Covid19 pandemic Lakra is only one of the two new faces in the ongoing senior national camp which is a testament to his grit and resurgence The callup follows a standout performance at the 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025 where he played a key role in taking Madhya Pradesh to a Silvermedal finishIt was not easy to come back after the lockdown Lakra reflects I lost fitness and momentum For a while it felt like everything Id worked for was slipping away But I didnt give up I kept training kept showing upLakras journey began like many young boys in Sundargarh with a hockey stick in hand playing barefoot in the village fields His father who also played hockey in his village and his elder sister Preeti who represented Odisha at the national level laid the foundation for his love of the game We are a family of farmers but hockey runs deep in our roots Lakra says My sister joined a sports hostel first and inspired me to take the sport seriouslyAlso the financial struggles in his early years didnt deter him in fact they shaped him There was a time when I didnt have proper shoes to play A kindhearted official from Hockey Gangpur Odisha helped me out Little things like that kept me going he sharesLakras early career had shown immense promise After beginning his hockey journey around the age of 9 in his village he joined the renowned Panposh Sports Hostel in Rourkela in 2011 He rose through the ranks quickly earning a place in the Indian junior team and playing in tournaments like the Sultan of Johor Cup 2017 2019 and the 8 Nations Invitational in Spain 2019But when the pandemic struck in 2020 Lakra like many athletes found himself adrift He was released from the junior national camp his fitness dropped and opportunities dried up It was a tough phase he says There were days when I trained alone on the Railway teams turf just running and working on my game without knowing what would come nextLakras resilience paid off and he worked his way back into competitive hockey through Railways tournaments and eventually secured a job with South Central Railway in 2018 under the sports quota giving him the stability to continue training and competing By 2024 he was back in the thick of things representing Odisha at the Senior Nationals and then switching to play for Madhya Pradesh in 2025 The move proved pivotal his defensive discipline and consistency were impossible to ignoreHis recent performance with Madhya Pradesh at the Senior Nationals including a hardfought final against Punjab earned him his longawaited callup to the senior national camp It was a tough tournament Playing against top Indian players was a learning experience The final taught me a lot about team combinations and highpressure playLakra who plays in defence and also as a dragflicker idolises Indian greats Birendra Lakra and Rupinder Pal Singh I chose to play in defence after watching Birendra Lakra the way he controlled the game from the back really inspired me When it came to dragflicking I closely followed Rupinder Pal Singh his technique and precision taught me a lotPratap also gained experience with the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers in the Hockey India League 202425 While he didnt get many chances to play he says it was an eyeopener Being around international and senior players helped me understand the game at a different level I stayed focused and tried to make every opportunity countNow in the senior national camp Lakra remains grounded My goal is to improve my fitness and skills I want to be disciplined work hard and earn a place in the Indian team My ultimate dream is to win an Olympic gold for the countrySupport from his family remains unwavering His sister Preeti his early mentor reminds him to stay humble She told me Being named in the camp is just the beginning Keep working hard if you want to wear the Indian jersey IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/my-goal-is-to-improve-my-fitness-skills-pratap-lakra-on-call-up-to-senior-hockey-national-camp-614181.html Mon, 05 May 2025 15:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-women-end-australia-tour-with-1-0-win-614050.html New Delhi May 4 The Indian Womens Hockey Team enjoyed a 10 victory over Australia in the fifth and final game of their Australia tour at the Perth Hockey Stadium on Sunday Navneet Kaur 21 scored the only goal of the match to ensure India ended the series on a strong note In the first quarter Australia dominated the play and won two penalty corners but Indias resilient defence denied them the opening goal Six minutes into the second quarter India clinched the lead courtesy of a field goal from Vice Captain Navneet Kaur It was a cagey affair in the second half with both teams eyeing to score a goal but India held their composure at the back and successfully defended their slim lead In the final quarter Australia received a crucial penalty corner however they squandered the chance to equalise and handed over the victory to the visitors After two losses against the Australia A side and two losses against the senior team India bounced back well in the series with a positive win over the hosts on the final day Indias 26member squad led by captain Salima Tete and vicecaptain Navneet Kaur played the Australian senior team thrice and despite a spirited performance were handed two defeats by the hosts Before the game against the Australian senior side the Indian team also played friendlies against the Australia A side but were not able to register wins despite gritty and determined performancesWith one eye on the World Cup next year and the FIH Hockey Pro League in Europe later this year the Indian team is also trying out new combinations and strategies on this tour of Australia A win in the final game of the tour is sure to inject confidence into the team for the upcoming months IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-women-end-australia-tour-with-1-0-win-614050.html Sun, 04 May 2025 18:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/great-opportunity-for-us-to-gain-valuable-match-exposure-salima-tete-ahead-of-aus-series-612918.html Perth April 25 After a monthlong senior national training camp the Indian womens hockey team is set for a challenging fivematch tour of Australia from April 26 to May 4 The tour begins with two matches against Australia A on April 26 and 27 followed by three matches against the World No 5 Australian senior womens team on May 1 3 and 4 at the Perth Hockey Stadium The Indian team last competed in the FIH Hockey Pro League Women at home where they registered two wins and one shootout victory in a mixed campaign They ended the tournament on a high clinching a bonus point against World No 1 Netherlands in a thrilling shootout after a 22 draw across regulation timeHockey India has named a 26member squad for the tour with Salima Tete leading the side as captain and Navneet Kaur as vicecaptain Rising dragflicker Deepika who impressed with three goals during the Pro League matches in February will be keen to continue her form The tour also marks a milestone for veteran goalkeeper Savita who recently completed 300 international caps and continues to anchor the defenceThe squad includes five new faces Jyoti Singh Sujata Kujur Ajmina Kujur Pooja Yadav and Mahima Tete who could be making their senior team debuts in Australia The exposure tour presents an opportunity for these young players to gain international experience and adapt to the intensity of toplevel hockeyAhead of the series Salima Tete said We are excited to be here in Perth This is a great opportunity for us to gain valuable match exposure against strong opponents These matches will help us understand our team combinations better and test different strategies ahead of the Europe leg of the Pro League and the Womens Asia Cup later this year All the players especially the new faces are eager to make the most of this experienceAustralia have traditionally been a strong opponent winning 10 of the 16 matches played between the two sides and drawing three However India will take confidence from their recent 10 win over Australia in the FIH Hockey Pro League 202324 and will look to build on that momentumChief coach Harendra Singh added The team has trained intensely during the camp in Bengaluru and this tour will help us assess where we stand Our focus is on giving players international exposure building squad depth and trying out combinations Playing against Australia A and the senior Australian team in their home conditions will be a good learning experience and help us prepare for the important competitions coming up this year IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/great-opportunity-for-us-to-gain-valuable-match-exposure-salima-tete-ahead-of-aus-series-612918.html Fri, 25 Apr 2025 13:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-names-core-probable-group-for-senior-mens-national-camp-612771.html New Delhi April 24 Hockey India has announced a 54member core probable squad for the upcoming senior mens national coaching camp which will begin on 25th April 2025 at the SAI Centre in Bengaluru Following their performances at the 15th Senior Men National Championship 2025 held in Jhansi Uttar Pradesh Hockey India has selected a core group of 54 players for the upcoming national campThe camp will be held from April 25 to 30 during which the group will be assessed and subsequently pruned down to 40 players The selected 40 players will then continue training in the next phase of the camp scheduled from May 1 to 25Out of the 54 players 38 have been retained from the existing core group The rest have been drafted based on their impressive outings in the recent nationals with players coming in from Hockey Madhya Pradesh Hockey Maharashtra Hockey Punjab UP Hockey Hockey Bengal and Manipur HockeyThe players retained from the existing core group includes Krishan B Pathak Suraj Karkera Pawan Mohith Honnenahalli Shashikumar Amit Rohidas Varun Kumar Jugraj Singh Nilam Sanjeep Xess Amandeep Lakra Harmanpreet Singh Jarmanpreet Singh Sanjay Yashdeep Siwach Mohammed Raheel Mouseen Raj Kumar Pal Nilakanta Sharma Hardik Singh Sumit Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh Poovanna Chandura Boby Rajinder Singh Vishnu Kant Singh Manpreet Singh Vivek Sagar Prasad Shamsher Singh Gurjant Singh Abhishek Shilanand Lakra Aditya Arjun Lalage Boby Singh Dhami Selvam Karthi Sunil Jojo Mandeep Singh Lalit Kumar Upadhyay Dilpreet Singh Sukhjeet Singh Sudeep Chirmako and Angad Bir SinghThe newcomers called up for the camp include Sanjay B Ankit Malik Pratap Lakra Parmod Dhanavade Mayur Ali Ahmad Aakib Rahim Arjun Sharma Yousuf Affan Laishram Dipu Singh Venkatesh Kenche Gursahibjit Singh Pardeep Singh Ravi Uttam Singh and Maninder SinghTalking about the focus of the upcoming camp Indian Mens Hockey Team Head Coach Craig Fulton said The main aim of this camp is to get everyone back on the field back in the gym and moving again Weve had a short break since the nationals so its about getting back to the basics We have a mix of senior players reserves and some exciting new faces This camp is a chance to trial the new players while also assessing where our senior and reserve players stand Well gradually build up to playing internal matches in a few daysFitness will be a key focus especially with the final leg of the Pro League coming up in June This camp is going to be intensenot just physically but across all areas of the game Were looking at fitness gameplay and sharpening overall preparedness he addedSpeaking on the role of junior and new players in this camp Fulton said Theres definitely a focus on identifying and developing younger talent This camp gives us a closer look at some promising junior and new players At the same time were also focusing on reinforcing structure and consistency among our senior group Its about blending experience with potential and preparing everyone for the road aheadNotably the Indian team will also play friendly games in Ireland ahead of the Pro League We wont be playing any official tournament before the Pro League but we are planning a training camp in Ireland The team will play three friendly matches there It is going to be an important buildup and a good opportunity to get matchready in a competitive setting Fulton said IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-names-core-probable-group-for-senior-mens-national-camp-612771.html Thu, 24 Apr 2025 16:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/more-than-ourselves-we-played-for-punjab-jugraj-singh-on-his-incredible-performance-in-hockey-nationals-611848.html Jhansi April 17 Jugraj Singh was in top form during the 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025 helping Hockey Punjab lift the coveted title The 28yearold dragflicker finished as the secondhighest goalscorer of the tournament with five goals to his name including a brace against Hockey Madhya Pradesh in the final Reflecting on his experience in the tournament Jugraj said Overall it was a wonderful experience We had a strong team and we were confident In the final we defeated a very strong team in Hockey Madhya Pradesh with a dominant scoreline so Im really happy with the way the team performedIn the final Hockey Madhya Pradesh opened the scoring in the 28th minute but Hockey Punjab made a strong comeback to secure a commanding 41 winSpeaking about the final Jugraj stated After we conceded the first goal we had a very good talk in the dressing room We discussed how we couldnt afford to lose this match and that more than ourselves we were playing for Punjab So the team was very determined in the second half and we scored four goalsHockey Punjabs only loss in the tournament came in the pool stage when they went down 23 to Hockey Madhya Pradesh We were very disappointed after our loss to Hockey Madhya Pradesh because we felt we could have won We missed a lot of scoring opportunities and things just didnt go our wayLater we watched the match carefully and analysed our mistakes because we knew we could face them again in the tournament Jugraj explainedJugraj has been in incredible scoring form this year He won the Hockey India League 202425 season with Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers where he scored 12 goals including a crucial hattrick in the final He was also one of the key players in Indias recent FIH Hockey Pro League Men home leg success where the team won five out of eight matches and currently stands third in the standingsWhen asked about the secret behind his excellent performances Jugraj said Ive been training very hard and working a lot on my dragflicking Ive started reading the goalkeepers movements before striking the ball which has really helped me because I can change the direction at the last moment In dragflicking more than power the angle of the shot is very important so Ive been focusing on that IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/more-than-ourselves-we-played-for-punjab-jugraj-singh-on-his-incredible-performance-in-hockey-nationals-611848.html Thu, 17 Apr 2025 16:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-announces-26-member-womens-squad-for-australia-tour-611248.html New Delhi April 14 Hockey India on Monday announced a 26member Indian womens team squad for the upcoming tour of Australia scheduled to take place from April 26 to May 4 at the Perth Hockey Stadium The fivematch series will see India take on Australia A in the first two games followed by three matches against the senior Australian team The squad will be led by dynamic midfielder Salima Tete with experienced forward Navneet Kaur serving as the vicecaptain The tour will be a crucial preparatory assignment ahead of the teams European leg of the FIH Pro League 202425 set to be held in JuneSeasoned goalkeeper Savita and young talent Bichu Devi Kharibam will share responsibilities between the posts providing a strong last line of defenceThe defensive lineup features a mix of experience and promising young talent comprising Jyoti Singh Ishika Chaudhary Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam Sujata Kujur Suman Devi Thoudam Jyoti Ajmina Kujur and Sakshi RanaIn the midfield captain Salima will marshal the centre with support from Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke Neha Sharmila Devi Manisha Chauhan Sunelita Toppo Mahima Tete Pooja Yadav and Lalremsiami bringing depth and creativity to the sideThe forward line looks sharp and attacking with Navneet Kaur Deepika Rutaja Dadaso Pisal Mumtaz Khan Baljeet Kaur Deepika Soreng and Beauty DungdungNotably five players Jyoti Singh Sujata Kujur Ajmina Kujur Pooja Yadav and Mahima Tete have earned a callup to the senior team and will be eager to make their senior team debutAdditionally Bansari Solanki goalkeeper Anjana Dundung and Lalthantluangi defenders Sakshi Shukla and Khaidem Shileima Chanu midfielders along with Dipi Monika Toppo and Sonam forwards have been named as standby playersHarendra Singh chief coach of the Indian womens team shared her thoughts on the squad and stated This tour to Australia is an important opportunity for us to test our skills and strategies against toplevel competition Weve selected a balanced squad that combines experience with fresh energy Its great to see young players earning their spots through consistent performances in national level tournaments and senior camps It will be exciting to see how they adapt and rise to the challenge at the international levelWeve had a solid block of training at the national camp in Bengaluru and the team is in good shape both mentally and physically Playing against Australia A and the Hockeyroos will help us finetune our game before the European leg of the FIH Pro League We are in the process of strengthening key areas such as fitness decisionmaking and building a resilient mentality that allows us to stay composed and competitive in highpressure situations We aim to maintain the fighting spirit we showed in the Pro League recently IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-announces-26-member-womens-squad-for-australia-tour-611248.html Mon, 14 Apr 2025 13:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-mens-hockey-nationals-mp-manipur-punjab-up-reach-semifinals-611077.html Jhansi April 12 Hockey Madhya Pradesh Manipur Hockey Hockey Punjab and Uttar Pradesh Hockey won their respective quarterfinal matches in the 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025 and progressed to the semifinals of the prestigious tournament being played in Jhansi Uttar Pradesh In the first match of the day after a 11 draw over four quarters Hockey Madhya Pradesh emerged victorious over Hockey Maharashtra 42 in the shootout as the national championship moved towards the business end Pratap Lakra 6 converted a penalty corner and opened the scoring for Hockey Madhya Pradesh early in the game Three minutes later Hockey Maharashtra promptly replied courtesy of a field goal from Aakib Rahim 9Sundram Singh Rajawat Shreyas Dhupe Ali Ahmad and Pratap Lakra scored in the shootout for Hockey Madhya Pradesh Devindar Walmiki and Venkatesh Kenche were the only scorers for Hockey Maharashtra as Madhya Pradesh goalkeeper Sanjay B made crucial saves to help his side winDefences were on top in the second quarterfinal match as Manipur Hockey and Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu played out a goalless draw and battled it out in the shootout which the former won 41 Manipur Hockey won six penalty corners while Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu won four however both sides couldnt find the net In the shootout Nilakanta Sharma Waribam Nirajkumar Singh Kothajit Singh and Laishram Dipu Singh scored for Manipur HockeyGoalkeeper Ankit Malik of Manipur Hockey was in incredible form and made two saves Karthi Selvam was the only scorer for the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu during the shootoutIn the third match Hockey Punjab defeated Hockey Haryana 32 to seal their spot in the SemiFinals Araijeet Singh Hundal 15 scored the only goal of the first half to give Hockey Punjab the leadSanjay 32 scored the equaliser for Hockey Haryana but Hockey Punjab scored two goals in quick succession thanks to Jugraj Singh 33 and Pardeep Singh 34 to reclaim the lead Kuldeep 56 got one goal back in the dying minutes of the game however Hockey Punjab prevailed over the four quartersIn the last quarterfinal match Uttar Pradesh Hockey enjoyed a 31 win over Hockey Karnataka Although Rahul CJ 24 scored the first goal to take the lead in the second quarter for Hockey Karnataka Uttar Pradesh Hockey made a strong comeback Manish Yadav 45 successfully converted a penalty corner to level the score in the third quarterThey then scored two goals in the fourth quarter courtesy of Pawan Rajbhar 52 and Sharda Nand Tiwari 59 to seal their spot in the semifinal IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-mens-hockey-nationals-mp-manipur-punjab-up-reach-semifinals-611077.html Sat, 12 Apr 2025 23:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-mens-hockey-nationals-karnataka-mp-maharashtra-win-to-reach-quarters-610762.html Jhansi UP April 10 Hockey Madhya Pradesh and Hockey Karnataka each had a successful outing as they won their respective matches to enter the quarterfinals on Day 7 of the 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025 here on Thursday Hockey Madhya Pradesh defeated Hockey Punjab 32 while Karnataka got the better of Le Puducherry Hockey by the same margin In the third match of the day Hockey Maharashtra defeated Hockey Jharkhand 43 while Hockey Association of Tamil Nadu was held to a draw by Hockey Bengal However Tamil Nadu qualified for the lasteight stageIn the quarterfinals to be played on Saturday Hockey Madhya Pradesh will meet Hockey Maharashtra Manipur will take on Tamil Nadu Haryana will face Punjab while Uttar Pradesh Hockey run into Hockey Karnataka in the last quarterfinalIn the first match Hockey Madhya Pradesh defeated Hockey Punjab 32 in Division A Captain Yousuf Affan 4 leading from the front scored the first goal of the match for Hockey Madhya Pradesh followed by Mohit Karma 18 and Saddam Ahmed 45 who also scored one goal each to take a comfortable lead in the game till the end of first three quartersAraijeet Singh Hundal 54 tried to make a comeback in the final minutes of the game joined by his teammate Gursahibjit Singh 56 but fell short on Thursday With this win Hockey Madhya Pradesh remain at the top position in Pool A securing their birth in the quarterfinals on FridayIn the next match Hockey Karnataka defeated Le Puducherry Hockey 32 in Division A Captain Mohammed Raheel 12 started the game with the first goal towards the end of the first quarterT Arun Kumar 27 and P Mahendran 37 turned the game upside down by the end of the third quarter But Sheshe Gowda Bm 58 60 first equalized the scoreline two minutes before the final whistle and then finished the game in style with another goal securing victory for Hockey Karnataka in an exciting encounter IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-mens-hockey-nationals-karnataka-mp-maharashtra-win-to-reach-quarters-610762.html Fri, 11 Apr 2025 00:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-mens-hockey-nationals-delhi-telangana-chandigarh-kerala-win-on-day-6-610609.html Jhansi April 9 Teams from Chandigarh Telangana Delhi and Kerala won their respective matches in Division B while Hockey Punjab emerged victorious in Division A on the sixth day of the 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025 in Jhansi Uttar Pradesh In the opening match of the day Hockey Chandigarh defeated Hockey Uttarakhand with a commanding scoreline of 90 in Pool A of Division B Amandeep 22 32 and Gurmukh Singh 30 36 scored a brace of goals each for the winning side while Ankush 13 Inderpal Singh 24 Sunil 35 Deepak 37 and Mohit 41 also contributed with goalsIn the same Pool Telangana Hockey beat Hockey Andhra Pradesh 82 Aiyappa PR 6 20 31 52 was in incredible scoring form and registered four goals to his name Also on the scoresheet for Telangana Hockey were Venkatesh Telugu 3 55 Rohit Singh 9 and Ram Kumar Vetti 11 Sandeep Kumar Ragipati 13 and Venu Gorrela Gopal 50 were the goalscorers for Hockey Andhra PradeshIn Pool B of Division B Delhi Hockey beat Assam Hockey with a thrilling scoreline of 64 Govind Singh Bisht 8 30 Yogember Rawat 20 48 Pardeep 15 and Amit 60 registered goals for Delhi Hockey while Pavan Dr 40 50 Mojammil Hoque 9 and Pankaj Kumar Yadav 47 scored for Assam HockeyKerala Hockey won their Pool B match 41 over Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey to end the Division B matches Shahanul Shafas Kv 18 38 55 scored a hattrick for his side while Sadhik Tk 31 also scored for Kerala Hockey Pratyush Tiwari 50 was the lone goalscorer for Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu HockeyIn Division A Hockey Punjab prevailed in their Pool A match against the Hockey Association of Odisha 32 Jugraj Singh 16 Araijeet Singh Hundal 48 and Pardeep Singh 55 scored for the winning side while Captain Amit Rohidas 37 and Matiyas Dang 51 scored for Hockey Association of OdishaIn the final match of the day Manipur Hockey and Hockey Karnataka played out a 11 draw with Nilakanta Sharma 44 and Ganesh Majji 50 scoring for their sides respectively IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-mens-hockey-nationals-delhi-telangana-chandigarh-kerala-win-on-day-6-610609.html Thu, 10 Apr 2025 00:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-womens-hockey-team-set-to-tour-australia-for-five-match-series-610732.html New Delhi April 10 The Indian womens hockey team is all set to embark on an exciting tour of Australia for a fivematch series scheduled from April 26 to May 4 India will open the series with two matches against Australia A followed by three encounters with the senior Australian womens team The tour will begin with backtoback matches against Australia A on April 26 and 27 followed by three highintensity encounters against the world No 5ranked Hockeyroos on May 1 3 and 4 All fixtures will be held at the Perth Hockey StadiumCurrently ranked ninth in the FIH World Rankings the Indian team will look to build on their recent momentum and continue their strong performances on the international stage The tour will serve as vital preparation ahead of their European leg of the FIH Pro League 202425 which kicks off in JuneIndia enter the series on a high after a spirited performance against world No1 Netherlands securing a 22 draw and clinching the bonus point in a thrilling shootout in Bhubaneswarmarking a confident end to their home leg of the Pro LeagueIndia also have recent success against Australia to draw confidence from In their last encounter during the FIH Pro League 202324 India emerged 10 winnersNotably they had scripted history at the Tokyo Olympics 2021 defeating the threetime Olympic champions 10 in the semifinals to reach the bronze medal match Despite a close battle in the 2022 Commonwealth Games semifinal that ended in a 11 draw during regulation time Australia clinched the win in the shootoutHistorically however Australia hold the upper hand having won 10 out of the 16 matches played between the two sides since 2013 India have registered three wins while three matches have ended in drawsSpeaking on the tour Harendra Singh Head Coach of the Indian womens hockey team said This tour is an important step in our preparations for the European leg of the FIH Pro League Playing against a strong side like Australia will test our players and give us valuable insights into where we stand Weve seen how this team can rise to the occasion like we did against the Netherlands recently and we want to build on that momentumOur matches against Australia have always been competitive and while theyve had the edge historically weve shown in recent years that we can go toetotoe with them The team is motivated and working hard in camp to finetune key aspects of our game before we head to Perth he addedAhead of the tour the Indian players are taking part in the ongoing Senior Womens National Coaching Camp at SAI Bengaluru working to sharpen strategies and enhance onfield synergy IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-womens-hockey-team-set-to-tour-australia-for-five-match-series-610732.html Thu, 10 Apr 2025 19:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-mens-nationals-j-amp-k-chattisgarh-in-division-c-chandigarh-uttarakhand-in-division-b-secure-victories-on-day-4-610267.html Jhansi April 7 Hockey Jammu amp Kashmir Chhattisgarh Hockey and Hockey Association of Bihar enjoyed victories in Division C while Hockey Chandigarh and Hockey Uttarakhand won in Division B on the fourth day of the 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025 in Jhansi With that the Division C matches are over and Hockey Arunachal and Chhattisgarh Hockey have ended the tournament on top of their respective pools with seven and nine points respectively as they win promotion to Division B in the next editionThe day began with a 22 draw between Hockey Raj and Hockey Arunachal Pradesh in Pool A of Division C Abhinav Singh 29 opened the scoring for Arunachal Pradesh but Hockey Raj scored two goals on the trot coming from Vishal Kumar 42 and Pulkit Kesari 46 In the fourth quarter Jay Prakash Patel 59 scored a crucial equaliser for Hockey Arunachal to draw the game and ensure they end the tournament on top of the tableIn the same pool of Division C Hockey Jammu amp Kashmir enjoyed a dominant 151 victory over Tripura Hockey Jagmeet Singh 15 49 49 53 Jotveer Singh 21 45 47 59 Sodhi Pavneet Singh 17 23 36 Sahil Kumar 3 Sushmeet Singh Pathania 52 Gurpreet Singh 56 and Vishu Sharma 57 scored for the winning side while Sukhwinder 19 got the lone goal for Tripura HockeyIn Pool B of Division C Chhattisgarh Hockey edged past Hockey Himachal 32 to win promotion Kartik Yadav 19 28 35 scored a brilliant hattrick for the winning side while Amit Chahal 13 and Harsh 38 were the goalscorers for Hockey HimachalIn the last game of Division C Hockey Association of Bihar defeated Hockey Gujarat with a commanding scoreline of 140 Jony Kumar 12 15 22 27 38 42 55 was in brilliant form and recorded seven goals to his name He was joined by Danish MD 17 47 60 Captain Nigam Prabhakar 35 45 Abhay Kumar 14 and Rohit Lama 29 in the scoresheet for Hockey Association of BiharIn Division B Pool A Hockey Chandigarh beat Goans Hockey 40 Amandeep 19 Mohit 48 Manjinder Singh 54 and Gurmukh Singh 56 were the goalscorers for the winning sideNext Hockey Uttarakhand defeated Hockey Andhra Pradesh with a thrilling scoreline of 53 in Pool A of Division C Vishal Kumar 10 32 Captain Deepak Singh Fartyal 12 50 and Deepanshu Aswal 20 scored for Hockey Uttarakhand while Ramana Balla Venkat 34 Siva Boya 37 and Kumar Ragipati Sandeep 49 scored the three goals for Hockey Andhra Pradesh IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-mens-nationals-j-amp-k-chattisgarh-in-division-c-chandigarh-uttarakhand-in-division-b-secure-victories-on-day-4-610267.html Tue, 08 Apr 2025 00:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/didi-supports-me-a-lot-mahima-shares-training-experience-with-sister-salima-tete-609865.html Bengaluru April 5 From winning the Senior Women National Championship with Hockey Jharkhand to making it into the Senior National camp it has been a wonderful few weeks for Mahima Tete The 21yearold is currently training at SAI Bengaluru along with the senior players including her elder sister and captain Salima Tete Talking about the dynamic Mahima shares with Salima in training and her experience she said I have always wanted to walk in my sisters footsteps and do well for my country So now that I am also here training with her I feel really good When I do something wrong she comes to me and guides me to improve Didi supports me a lotMahima also said that her sister gave her a lot of important insights before they joined the camp together She told me to work hard and not back out of anything She told me to give my 100 on the ground She said in domestic teams the game is a lot slower but with senior players I have to play running hockey and be on my toes at all times so I was mentally prepared heading into trainingInitially Mahima was selected in the 65member core probables group but her impressive work in training and testing earned her a spot in the 40member list that was announced on April 2 When asked about her experience training with the senior players so far she replied Its a different combination than I am used to Its good to practice with the seniors and I am very happy that I am in the senior team right now but I will have to work very hard and improve to get to the level I need to beIn order to compete with international players we need to be really fit and quick hence we are trained very hard in the senior camp she addedMahima joined the senior camp on the back of an impressive titlewinning campaign during the 15th Senior Women National Championship The midfielder played all five matches for Hockey Jharkhand and played a pivotal role for her side in the tournamentAt the start of the tournament we didnt think that we were going to reach the final But as we progressed we felt we couldnt afford to lose We wanted the gold medal because we had never won a medal so we were really determined and we worked really hard for it as a teamHockey Jharkhand defeated defending champions Hockey Haryana 43 in the shootout to lift the trophy Mahima revealed that she was sick on the day of the finalI was sick which is why I didnt participate in the final shootout as well I drank four bottles of water before and I had prepared myself to play the full game I wanted to help my team win a gold medal so I pushed myself hard and gave it my all in the final Not once did I feel like missing the final match due to my illness she saidWhile talking about the plan ahead Mahima stated I need to work really hard in order to play at the level the other senior players play My goal is to get good enough to make it into the starting lineup IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/didi-supports-me-a-lot-mahima-shares-training-experience-with-sister-salima-tete-609865.html Sat, 05 Apr 2025 16:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-names-65-member-core-group-for-womens-coaching-camp-607848.html New Delhi March 22 Hockey India named the 65member core probable group for the upcoming senior womens national coaching camp to commence in SAI Bengaluru on Sunday The group has been selected basis the recent performance at the 15th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship in Panchkula where Hockey Jharkhand lifted the title beating Hockey Haryana in a tense shootoutWhile 30 players have been retained from the existing core group players have been calledup from Assam Hockey Hockey Chandigarh Hockey Himachal SAI Hockey Bengal UP Hockey Hockey Jharkhand Hockey Karnataka Manipur Hockey Hockey Punjab Kerala Hockey MP Hockey CRPF Odisha CBDT Hockey Mizoram Hockey Maharashtra and Hockey APThe Indian womens team chief coach Harendra Singh was at the premier domestic national championship to witness the competition and scout new talentSpeaking about the selection he stated We saw some exceptionally talented players at the National Championships earlier this month and players have been calledup basis how they performed for their respective state teams This camp with 65 players will give us a sense of how they can be prepared for the next level in their careersThe group will be pruned down to 40 members for the next phase of FIH Hockey Pro League and from 31st March to 19th April it will be a group of 40 players who will be in camp for the next international event However from 23rd to 30th April we will be closely monitoring the larger group of 65 and basis how they fair the list of 40 will be confirmedThe players retained from the existing core group includes Savita Bichu Devi Kharibam Bansari Solanki Madhuri Kindo Mahima Chaudhary Nikki Pradhan Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam Udita Ishika Chaudhary Jyoti Chhatri Jyoti Akshata Abaso Dhekale Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke Neha Salima Tete Manisha Chauhan Ajmina Kujur Sunelita Toppo Lalremsiami Sharmila Devi Baljeet Kaur Deepika Soreng Navneet Kaur Sangita Kumari Vandana Katariya Deepika Preetu Dubey Rutuja Dadaso Pisal Deauty Dungdung and Mumtaz KhanThe new comers calledup for the camp include Samiksha Saxena Komalpreet Kaur Mahima Kirti Deshmukh Sapna Bhengra Anjali Barwa Anjna Dungdung Meenu Rani Niru Kullu Kruthika Prakash Suman Devi Thoudam Sujata Kujur Mahima Tete Albela Rani Toppo Pooja Yadav Sakshi Shukla Simran Singh Nandini Karmanpreet Kaur Annu Chandana Jagadish Selestina Horo Nikki Kullu Kavita Jyoti Lotla Mary Kajal Sadashiv Atpadkar Rajni Bala Aishwarya Chavan Pinki Ekka Dipimonika Toppo Usha Manju Chorsiya Ashwini Kolekar and Hritika Singh IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-names-65-member-core-group-for-womens-coaching-camp-607848.html Sat, 22 Mar 2025 17:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/haryana-and-manipur-to-kick-off-national-womens-hockey-final-phase-on-tuesday-606835.html Ranchi March 17 The final phase of the inaugural National Womens Hockey League 202425 is set to commence on March 18 at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh AstroTurf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi The U21 Womens tournament will see eight of the top state teams of the country compete for the title in a roundrobin league format from March 18 to 28 The teams participating are Hockey Haryana Hockey Maharashtra Hockey Jharkhand Hockey Madhya Pradesh Hockey Bengal Hockey Mizoram Manipur Hockey and Hockey Association of OdishaThe tournament will be played in a single pool with each team facing the other once The winner of each match will be awarded three points while draws will secure a single point The team standing on top of the points table at the end of the league matches will be crowned champions of the elite domestic tournamentIn Phase 1 played last year Hockey Haryana finished first with 16 points in seven matches followed by Hockey Jharkhand and Hockey Association of Odisha just one point behind in second and third place respectivelyHockey India president Dilip Tirkey stated We are excited to see the young players compete at such a high level It is crucial to have youngsters compete in domestic tournaments all around the year for their growth I wish all the players and coaches all the best and hope we get to see some great matches and rising talents in the ranks We recently saw a brilliant level of hockey being played in the Senior Women National Championship and I am expecting to see that from the junior players as wellEchoing the same sentiment Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh stated It will be interesting to see which team wins the firstever National Womens Hockey League tournament In such league tournaments consistency is very important and the team that can play well in all of their seven matches is likely to emerge victorious All the very best to the teams participating I urge everyone to give it their best on the fieldThe opening match is set to be played between Hockey Haryana and Manipur Hockey on March 18 followed by clashes between Hockey Association of Odisha and Hockey Bengal and Hockey Madhya Pradesh and Hockey MaharashtraThe last match of the day will see Hockey Jharkhand face Hockey Mizoram at 0630 PM IST IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/haryana-and-manipur-to-kick-off-national-womens-hockey-final-phase-on-tuesday-606835.html Mon, 17 Mar 2025 17:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asmita-hockey-pune-bag-double-crown-in-junior-and-sub-junior-category-606471.html Pune March 15 Pune bagged a grand double winning the Sub Junior and Junior Category of the Asmita Hockey State League 2025 at the Major Dhyachand Hockey Stadium NehrunagarPimpri In the finals of both sub junior and junior categories Pune scored identical 90 wins over Nagpur and Mumbai City respectivelyIn the sub junior final Pune downed Nagpur 90 and was aided by a sixgoal super effort by Avni Rawat 27 35 39 49 53 58 pc The others to get onto the scoreline were Arpita Konjare 6 48 pc and Caelyn Nesamani 26 to complete the scorelineLater in the junior category Pune got past Mumbai City 90 with threegoal efforts by Tanushree Kadu 6 p c 42 p c 57 Sanika Mane 11 pc 22 27 p c a double strike by Sanjana Khetawat 15 pc 53 pc and a goal by Diksha Shinde 34 made up the oneside scorelineIn the thirdplace playoff Satara downed Kolhapur 21 For Satara Vedika Waghmore 19 and Shruti Bhosale 58 netted while Kolhapur pulled one back via Parnita Chavan 33The winning teams of both categories bagged cash awards each which included two lakhs one lakh sixty thousand and one lakh twenty thousand for their effortsIn the sub junior category Pune topped while Mumbai City finished second and Thane took third place In the junior category Pune were crowned champions Nagpur took the runnersup position and Thane claimed third placeThe prizes were given away by Pandurang Chate IRS Regional Director VC Sports Authority of India in the presence of Pankaj Patil Deputy Commissioner Sports PCMC Dhananjay Mahadik Deputy Commissioner State GST IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asmita-hockey-pune-bag-double-crown-in-junior-and-sub-junior-category-606471.html Sat, 15 Mar 2025 14:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/special-feeling-that-i-will-never-forget-jyoti-singh-on-her-senior-debut-at-pro-league-606185.html New Delhi March 13 At 20 Jyoti Singh was handed her senior India debut at the FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 Women as she featured in four of Indias matches including their remarkable win against World No 1 the Netherlands Listening to the national anthem echo in the stadium when I made my debut was truly a special feeling that I will never forget she said in a Hockey India release Jyoti couldnt have summed up her debut tournament experience in a better way My overall experience was very good especially our win over the Netherlands on the last day It felt good to help the team achieve something big surrounded by all the senior players she addedTalking about the events leading up to her first game Jyoti said I got to know that I was debuting against Spain the night before the match I had butterflies in my stomach and couldnt sleep The senior players helped me calm down the next morning at breakfastSushila Chanu di told me to play freely and that there was no pressure on me and that the senior players would support me Savita di told me to not take any risks and just listen to her throughout the match This really stuck with me and helped me in the tournament Jyoti had just returned after the Hero Hockey India League season with Delhi SG Pipers when she got to know she had made it into the senior squad I didnt expect to be selected so soon We had started preparing for senior nationals when I got to know I called my parents to inform them and they were very happyJyotis sporting roots are engraved in her family Her father Dheeraj Singh is a former athlete and has represented India internationally He introduced her to sports when she used to go running with him in her early years Jyotis connection with Hockey however began through her cousin Anuja Singh who currently plays for Central Railways My cousin used to play hockey When she used to come home during summer vacation I used to feel like playing hockey after hearing about it from her So in 2015 I held the stick for the first time when I went to the same academy MP Women Hockey Academy Gwalior as herTalking about her game Jyoti said I need to be quicker Playing the Hero HIL and the Pro League has made me realise that I need to be faster to keep up with the international attackers I also need to feed the ball better something that Sushila di does very well I look up to her since she is a very experienced defender The way she works and guides other players from the back is really inspiringBefore this Jyoti first became the captain of the junior squad and led her side to a gold medal at the Junior Womens Asia Cup in December last year Now Jyoti has returned to junior camp and is dead set to win another medal for her country IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/special-feeling-that-i-will-never-forget-jyoti-singh-on-her-senior-debut-at-pro-league-606185.html Thu, 13 Mar 2025 16:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-womens-hockey-nationals-mp-jharkhand-off-to-winning-start-in-division-a-604792.html Panchkula Haryana March 5 Hockey Madhya Pradesh and Hockey Jharkhand emerged victorious in Division A while Hockey Uttarakhand won their Division B game on the fifth day of the 15th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2025 at the Tau Devi Lal Hockey Stadium here on Wednesday In the first match of the day Hockey Uttarakhand defeated Assam Hockey 90 in Division B to win three games in a row and ended Pool A on top of the standings to earn promotion to Division A in the next season Preeti Sharma 16 18 52 and Vartika Rawat 23 35 45scored impressive hattricks while captain Mamta Bhatt 4 57 and Hema Singh 19 also contributed with goals in Hockey Uttarakhands dominant winIn the opening Division A match Hockey Madhya Pradesh edged out a 21 win over Uttar Pradesh Hockey in Pool D Hritika Singh opened the scoring for the winning team in the first quarter courtesy of a field goal from Hritika Singh 7After a tightly contested second quarter the game opened up again after halftime as Uttar Pradesh Hockey Captain Rajni Bala 31 scored the equaliser In the final quarter Neelu Dadiya 53 scored the allimportant winner as she converted a penalty corner to give her side a crucial three pointsIn the other Division A match of the day Hockey Jharkhand defeated the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu 92 in Pool C to kickstart their tournament Elin Dungdung 13 24 and Captain Albela Rani Toppo 17 34 scored braces while Promodni Lakra 15 Horo Sanjna 27 Rajni Keketta 39 Sushma Kumari 50 and Nikki Kullu 60 also featured on the scoresheet S Soniya 31 and Vairavi M 51 scored the two consolation goals for the Hockey Unit of Tamil NaduIn Division C on Tuesday Hockey Andhra Pradesh defeated Le Puducherry Hockey as Lotia Mary 50 and Patan Mujiya Begum 58 scored two late goals to win the fixture This was followed by the last match of Tuesday when Hockey Arunachal played out a goalless draw against Hockey Jammu amp Kashmir in Division C IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-womens-hockey-nationals-mp-jharkhand-off-to-winning-start-in-division-a-604792.html Wed, 05 Mar 2025 21:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/india-rope-in-dutch-legend-taekema-to-train-womens-dragflickers-604568.html New Delhi March 4 India have roped in Dutch hockey legend Taeke Taekema to train the national womens team dragflickers until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Take worked with the Indian Womens Hockey Team to refine their penalty corner conversion abilities during a specialised dragflicking camp organised from February 10 to 16 in Bhubaneswar The camp was held ahead of the recently concluded home leg of the FIH Pro League 202425 where India competed against top teams including England Germany Netherlands and Spain at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in BhubaneswarTaekema who netted 170 goals in 94 appearances for the Netherlands Mens Hockey Team over 11 years is widely regarded as one of the worlds most feared penalty corner specialists His illustrious career includes being the top scorer in numerous major international tournaments including the 2002 and 2006 Mens Champions Trophy 2006 Mens World Cup 2008 Olympic Games and 2010 FIH World Cup He also served as the assistant coach for the China Womens Hockey Team from 2022 to 2024Senior players including Deepika Manisha Chauhan Sonam and Annu along with few junior players participated in the camp The focus was on honing technical skills and improving dragflick accuracy under Taekemas expert guidanceDeepika who netted two out of her three goals through penalty corners during the home leg of the FIH Pro League 202425 reflected on the camps positive impact and said Although it was just a weeklong camp it proved to be highly beneficial for the home leg of the FIH Pro League I focused on refining my footwork shot release and finishing which gave me a clear understanding of the technical adjustments I needed to make during the tournament for dragflickingDuring the weeklong camp we concentrated on key technical areas like body positioning and stepping based on the type of shot we wanted to execute This focus made a significant difference Overall it was an enriching experience Taekema was excellent in guiding us and we started noticing improvements under his mentorship He also shared his own experiences as a player which helped us build mental resilience she addedMeanwhile Indian Womens Hockey Team Chief Coach Harendra Singh expressed his excitement about having Taeke Taekema on board to assist the team with penalty corner executionHe stated Taeke is one of the greatest legends in dragflicking and I requested Hockey India to bring him in to help us improve in this area He has been working with the team on refining technique and ensuring a smoother dragflicking process Dragflicking is a highly specialised skill and Taeke will continue to work with us in future camps as wellSingh also acknowledged the visible improvements in Deepikas performance Weve seen definite progress with Deepika particularly during the recent Pro League matches However successful penalty corner conversions rely on three key components the injector stopper and dragflicker Unfortunately we faced some challenges with the injection and stopping during some matches which affected our conversion rate That said Deepikas tactical approach is improving with each gameLooking ahead Singh outlined his broader vision for the teams dragflicking capabilities Our focus is to develop Deepika and Manisha into worldclass dragflickers Taekes involvement will continue until the 2028 LA Olympics and he will provide guidance to both the senior team and junior players as and when needed In modern hockey dragflicking and goalkeeping are crucial so were committed to preparing our players to compete at the highest level globally IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/india-rope-in-dutch-legend-taekema-to-train-womens-dragflickers-604568.html Tue, 04 Mar 2025 15:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-rankings-india-men-women-remain-in-the-top-10-after-fih-pro-league-action-604632.html Lausanne Switzerland March 4 After their home round of the FIH Pro League matches the mens and womens got some ranking points boost as they remained in the top 10 in the FIH World Rankings In the Bhubaneswar leg of the FIH Pro League the Indian womens team played World champions the Netherlands Australia England Germany and Spain while the mens team took on England Germany Spain and IrelandAfter the rankings were updated on Tuesday the Indian mens team is placed fifth while the womens team is ninth spotThe first two months of 2025 have witnessed some incredible hockey action with events across all tiers of international hockey The list of tournaments included FIH Hockey Pro League action in three stages Sydney Australia Bhubaneswar India and Santiago del Estero Argentina Along with the Pro League international hockey action was also running in parallel for teams in the next two tiers with the first edition of the FIH Hockey Mens Nations Cup 2 being played in Oman and the third edition of the FIH Hockey Womens Nations Cup which came to an end on 2 March in Chile The hectic hockey action created changes aplenty across the board as each win and loss amongst teams ranked close to each other led to movements up and down in the world rankings In the womens world rankings Netherlands 3639 remain at the top of the list but a shootout loss to India in their final Pro League match in Bhubaneswar saw them drop over 50 points The World and Olympic champions continue to hold a healthy lead over secondplaced Argentina 3223 who themselves are comfortably ahead of Belgium 3039 in third place the FIH informed in a statement on Tuesday The remaining teams in the Pro League are separated by less than 350 points from fourth to ninth place Leading the pack are China 2734 in fourth place followed by Australia 2696 in fifth Germany 2662 in sixth Spain 2583 in seventh England 2440 in eighth and India 2391 in ninth The FIH Nations Cup in Chile further shook up the rankings below the top9 competing in the FIH Pro League In tenth place sit New Zealand 2177 further tightening their grip on a top10 sport following their victory at the Nations Cup with Ireland 2118 following closely behind after backtoback runnerup finishes at the event Chile 2033 with consecutive thirdplace finishes achieved their bestever world ranking as the twelfthranked team followed closely by Japan 2030 in thirteenth and United States 1946 in fourteenth Scotland 1813 in the 15th and Korea 1793 in the 16th are placed close together Canada 1549 who finished in the last place of the Nations Cup have been overtaken by Italy 1583 for the seventeenth place In the mens world rankings Olympic champions Netherlands 3241 continue to lead the way following a solid start to their FIH Pro League campaign but closing the gap rapidly are Belgium 3123 and England 3061 who also stand atop the Pro League table halfway through the season Reigning world champions Germany 3053 find themselves in fourth but within touching distance of a topthree spot followed by India 2978 in fifth Australia 2824 Spain 2716 and Argentina 2682 have made mixed starts to their Pro League campaigns and find themselves in the sixth seventh and eighth spots in the world rankings In ninth place are France 2116 ahead of Ireland 2091 who are yet to register a win in the Pro League this season Following behind from the eleventh to sixteenth spots are South Africa 2082 New Zealand 2058 Malaysia 1970 Korea 1945 Pakistan 1942 and Japan 1851 These six teams along with France ranked ninth and Wales 1793 ranked eighteenth will play in the FIH Hockey Mens Nations Cup in Malaysia from 1521 June 2025 Following the first edition of the Mens Nations Cup 2 Egypt 1830 was the biggest rank gainer finding themselves in 17th place Austria 1774 are ranked 19th followed by gold medal winners at the event Scotland 1716 who have been promoted to the Nations Cup 2026 in twentieth The remaining Nations Cup 2 teams Canada 1688 China 1594 Chile 1534 Poland 1533 and the USA 1475 round out the top25 in the mens world rankings IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-rankings-india-men-women-remain-in-the-top-10-after-fih-pro-league-action-604632.html Tue, 04 Mar 2025 21:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-introduces-promotion-and-relegation-system-in-sr-womens-nationals-603922.html New Delhi Feb 28 Hockey India on Friday announced that the 15th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2025 which will take place from March 1 to 12 at the Tau Devi Lal Hockey Stadium in Panchkula will have a new format featuring a promotion and relegation system which add an extra layer of competitiveness in the tournament The 2025 edition will see the participation of 28 teams classified into three Divisions Division A Division B and Division C This new format not only enhances the competition but also provides a clear pathway for teams to ascend to higher divisions or risk relegation based on their performanceThe top 12 teams including defending champions Hockey Haryana will compete in Division A for the coveted championship trophy The teams are split into four poolsPool A consists of Hockey Haryana Hockey Association of Odisha Hockey Karnataka while Hockey Maharashtra Manipur Hockey Hockey Punjab are in Pool BPool C features Hockey Jharkhand Hockey Mizoram Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu and Pool D includes Hockey Madhya Pradesh Hockey Bengal Uttar Pradesh HockeyEach team will play in a league format within their respective pools The top two teams from each pool will advance to the quarterfinals scheduled for March 9 followed by the semifinals on March 10 and the final and 3rd4th place playoff on March 12The winner will lift the National Championship 2025 trophy while the bottom two teams will be relegated to Division B for the next editionNine teams will compete in Division B with the goal of earning promotion to Division AThe teams are divided into two pools Pool A consists Telangana Hockey Hockey Uttarakhand Assam Hockey Hockey Rajasthan Hockey Association of Bihar Pool B features Delhi Hockey Chhattisgarh Hockey Hockey Chandigarh Hockey HimachalThe top two teams from Division B will earn promotion to Division A for the next season while the bottom two will be relegated to Division C No knockout rounds will be held in Division B the league standings will determine promotions and relegationsSeven teams in Division C will vie for promotion to Division B The teams are divided in two pools Pool A Kerala Hockey Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey Hockey GujaratPool B Hockey Andhra Pradesh Le Puducherry Hockey Hockey Arunachal Hockey Jammu and KashmirAs in Division B the teams in Division C will only play league matches with the top two teams securing promotion to Division BAlso during the league stage teams in all three divisions will earn points based on their performance Each team will be awarded three points for a win one point for a draw and no points for a lossIn Division A the league stage will culminate with the knockout rounds while Divisions B and C will conclude with final standings determined solely by league matchesDivision A Division B and Division C matches will be played simultaneously throughout the tournament ensuring nonstop hockey actionCommenting on the new format Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said The introduction of the promotion and relegation system is a significant step in raising the standard of hockey across the country It ensures that every match in the championship holds importance whether its a battle for the title or to avoid relegation We look forward to an exciting tournament where teams can showcase their skills and aim for the topHockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh added This format change not only increases the stakes but also promotes healthy competition among the teams We are excited to see how the tournament unfolds with this new structure and are confident that it will lead to more competitive and thrilling matches at every stage IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-introduces-promotion-and-relegation-system-in-sr-womens-nationals-603922.html Fri, 28 Feb 2025 12:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/womens-pro-league-india-beat-world-no-1-netherlands-2-1-in-shootout-hockey-india-announces-cash-prize-603427.html Bhubaneswar Feb 25 After a thrilling 22 draw India grabbed the bonus point as they defeated the reigning champions and World Cup winners Netherlands 21 via a shootout in a Womens FIH Hockey Pro League match at the Kalinga Stadium here on Tuesday Despite being two goals down India made a remarkable comeback in the third quarter with goals coming from Deepika 35 and Baljeet Kaur 43 Captain Pien Sanders 17 and Fay van der Elst 28 scored for the Netherlands Following the incredible upset victory Hockey India announced a cash award of Rs 1 lakh to each Indian player and Rs 50000 to each member of the support staff in addition to their existing policy of rewarding Rs 50000 for every victoryThe Dutch were dominant in the first quarter both in terms of possession and attempts on goal The visiting team won the first penalty corner of the evening in the 5th minute as Matla Frederique took a powerful shot met by a breathtaking save by Savita The Netherlands won three backtoback corners in the remaining minutes but Indias tight defence denied them the opening goalThe Dutch continued to pile on the pressure in the second quarter and found the opening goal in the 17thminute courtesy of a penalty corner The Netherlands played out a variation perfectly as captain Sanders received the ball on the baseline and found the net from a tight angle to give her side the leadThe Netherlands won their sixth penalty corner in the 23rd minute and tried to play the same variation as before but this time Sanders shot was blocked by an Indian defender In the 28th minute Lalremsiami made a brilliant individual run with the ball from the left flank and pierced into the circle but unfortunately for India they couldnt make a goal attemptWith two minutes left in the first half the Netherlands extended their lead with a fine attack Luna Fokke received a lofted pass on the baseline and played it across perfectly to Elst in front of goal who made a diving finish into the netIndia improved on the attacking front in the third quarter as they found two crucial goals to get back on level terms In the 35th minute Deepika dribbled down the left flank brilliantly as she went around the Netherlands backline kissed the baseline and found the net with a perfect finishThe Dutch continued to put pressure on the Indian defence as they continued with their relentless attacks In the 39th minute the Oranje won yet another penalty corner but Savita ensured the scores remained the same India created another scoring opportunity as Deepika did well to hold the ball in the circle and pass it on to Salima Tete on the far post but the Indian captain failed to connect and squandered the chanceIndia scored the muchneeded equaliser in the 43rd minute courtesy of a brilliant finish from Baljeet Sharmila Devi dribbled down the right wing and found Baljeet whose firsttime finish towards the near post sneaked into the net past the Dutch keeperWith all to play for in the final quarter both teams went hammer and tongs searching for the winner The Netherlands piled on multiple attacks but were wasteful in front of the goal In the 53rd minute India launched a counterattack as Salima paced down the middle into the shooting circle but the Dutch were quick to fall back and fend off the attack India ensured they defended their goal in the dying embers of the game as it went into a shootout for the bonus pointDeepika and Mumtaz Khan scored for India while Savita made crucial saves as they ensured the home team won the shootout 21 against defending champions the Netherlands IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/womens-pro-league-india-beat-world-no-1-netherlands-2-1-in-shootout-hockey-india-announces-cash-prize-603427.html Tue, 25 Feb 2025 21:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/womens-pro-league-holders-netherlands-defeat-india-4-2-603239.html Bhubaneswar Feb 24 Despite their valiant efforts India suffered a 24 loss against reigning champions the Netherlands in the FIH Hockey Womens Pro League 202425 at the Kalinga Stadium here on Monday Felice Albers 34 47 Emma Reijnen 7 and Fay van der Elst 40 scored for the Netherlands while Udita 18 42 scored an impressive brace for India Veteran keeper Savita of India featured in her 300th international game and was felicitated by former mens team keeper PR Sreejesh ahead of the big gameThe Netherlands started the match on the front foot creating multiple scoring chances and ensuring the ball remained in Indias half After a relentless attacking display the Dutch took an early lead in the 7th minute Elst took a shot which was initially blocked but Reijnen was quick to react as her powerful reverse shot found the back of the net India won the first penalty corner in the same minute but couldnt muster a chance on goalIn the 10th minute Trijntje Beljaars was through on goal but Savita made a brilliant save to keep India in the contest Lalremsiami won another penalty corner towards the end of the first quarter as India played out a good variation however Rutaja Dadaso Pisal narrowly missed the targetIndia showed great improvement in the second quarter and even found the equaliser in the 18th minute India won yet another penalty corner which went to Deepika but this time she played a witty pass to Udita who fired the ball into the net after a deflection The Netherlands won a penalty corner in the 25th minute but failed to perform their variation and squandered their chanceThe match opened up in the third quarter as the fans witnessed three brilliant goals and endtoend hockey action The Dutch took the lead in the 34th minute as they converted a penalty cornerMatla Enderique took an initial shot which was saved by an outstretched Savita but unfortunately for the veteran keeper the ball fell to Alberswho pushed the ball into the net to take the leadThe Netherlands extended the lead in the 40th minute Joosje Burg dribbled the ball along the right wing brilliantly and made a baseline pass to Elst inside the circle who dived in front of the goal and finished it into the netIndia won an array of penalty corners to create a plethora of scoring chances in the third quarter Their efforts finally bore fruit in the 42nd minute when Udita successfully converted another penalty cornerThe Netherlands extended their lead once again in the 2nd minute of the fourth quarter Albers broke into a brilliant dribble down the middle as she broke through the tight Indian defence and found the goal with a reverse stick shotTowards the end of the final quarter Captain Pien Sanders made an effort on goal but was met by a brilliant save by Indias Bichu Devi in goal The Netherlands pressed high and ensured India had limited space to see out the win in the remaining minutes IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/womens-pro-league-holders-netherlands-defeat-india-4-2-603239.html Tue, 25 Feb 2025 00:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/malaysia-to-host-third-edition-of-fih-hockey-mens-nations-cup-in-june-603161.html Lausanne Feb 24 Malaysia will host the third edition of the FIH Hockey Mens Nations Cup from June 1521 the International Hockey Federation FIH announced on Monday The tournament features eight participating teams France Japan Korea Malaysia New Zealand Pakistan South Africa and Wales with the winners qualifying for the 202526 FIH Hockey Pro League the top league in world hockey This lineup is particularly impressive with all teams but Pakistan having participated in the last FIH Hockey Mens World Cup in 2023 the FIH informed in a release on MondayThe FIH Hockey Nations Cup was launched in 2021 with the aim of offering a toplevel competition to the bestranked teams not participating in the Hockey Pro League and giving the winning team the option to be promoted to the FIH Hockey Pro League the next seasonThe first two editions were played in Potchefstroom South Africa 2022 and Gniezno Poland 2024 The inaugural Nations Cup men was won by South Africa while New Zealand won the following editionCommenting on the announcement the Malaysian Hockey Confederation president Subahan bin Kamal said We are grateful to FIH for entrusting us to host this amazing event for the very first time We are excited and believe this tournament will definitely bring the best of world hockey talents to Malaysia We would also like to thank our Honourable Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh for supporting our effort in hosting this eventFIH chief Tayyab Ikram added Its a true delight to go back to Malaysia with one of our major events Our hosts have always been wonderful hockey tournament organisers and the same will prevail again for this Mens Nations Cup that will qualify the winners for the next edition of the FIH Hockey Pro League IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/malaysia-to-host-third-edition-of-fih-hockey-mens-nations-cup-in-june-603161.html Mon, 24 Feb 2025 17:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/every-match-wearing-the-indian-jersey-is-an-honour-savita-punia-reflects-on-300th-international-cap-603212.html Bhubaneswar Feb 24 Goalkeeper Savita Punia completed 300 international caps on Monday The Arjuna Awardee achieved this landmark during Indias match against the Netherlands in the FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar Odisha Savita now joins Vandana Katariya as one of only two Indian women to have played 300 international matches Savita is only the second Indian goalkeeper male or female to achieve this feat after the legendary PR SreejeshExpressing her emotions on the milestone Savita said Playing 300 matches for India is an incredibly special moment for me It has been an unforgettable journey I am deeply grateful to Hockey India Sports Authority of India my family teammates and support staff who have stood by me throughout Every match wearing the Indian jersey is an honour and I will continue to give my best for the teamA stalwart of Indian hockey Savita made her senior team debut at the age of 20 and has since established herself as one of the finest goalkeepers in the world She played a key role in Indias historic fourthplace finish at the Tokyo Olympics a campaign that elevated the teams stature on the global stage Her experience also proved invaluable in the Rio Olympics 2016 and the 2018 Vitality Hockey Womens World Cup where India reached the QuarterFinalsAs captain Savita has led India to remarkable achievements including a bronze medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and a titlewinning campaign at the FIH Nations Cup Under her leadership India also clinched backtoback gold medals in the Womens Asian Champions Trophy in 2023 and 2024Savita has been the backbone of Indian hockey for years and reaching 300 caps is a testament to her dedication and skill She has been a true leader and an inspiration to young players especially goalkeepers looking to follow in her footsteps said Hockey India President Dilip TirkeyRecognized for her outstanding contributions Savita was honoured with the Arjuna Award and has been a twotime recipient of the Hockey India Balbir Singh Senior Award for Player of the Year 2022 2023 Her excellence between the posts has also earned her the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year award for three consecutive seasons 202021 202122 202223Hockey India Secretary General Shri Bhola Nath Singh added We are extremely proud of Savitas achievement Her leadership and performances have been instrumental in Indias rise on the world stage and I have no doubt she will continue to steer the team to greater heights IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/every-match-wearing-the-indian-jersey-is-an-honour-savita-punia-reflects-on-300th-international-cap-603212.html Mon, 24 Feb 2025 21:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/mens-fih-pro-league-india-overcome-tough-challenge-from-ireland-for-3-1-win-602676.html Bhubaneswar Feb 21 India fought back from a 01 deficit to win 31 against Ireland in the ongoing mens FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 at the worldclass Kalinga Hockey Stadium here on Friday It was an equaliser from Mandeep Singh 22 that set the tone of the match for India while Jarmanpreet Singh 45 and Sukhjeet Singh 58 helped the hosts take the lead For Ireland Jeremy Duncan 8 was the lone goal scorer The first quarter however was all Ireland as they made multiple circle entries and found themselves ahead of India in only the 8th minute when Jeremy Duncan smashed the ball past Krishan Pathak making a swift foray from the right flank and no real threat from an Indian defender It was Nelsons assist that set up this fantastic opening goal They made a few more attempts on goal which also included a PC but couldnt extend the leadIndia made amends for a slow and poor start by launching a promising attack early in the second quarter It began with Sukhjeet attempting a shot on goal after picking up the ball from inside the circle but unfortunately ended up losing possessionIrelands defence was tight and wellstructured and their attack was a notch above A start that drew rare appreciation from Indian Chief Coach Craig Fulton who said Credit to Ireland for the first quarter He was evidently not happy with how India started but Mandeep changed that in the second quarter when he scored a sensational goal in the 22nd minute He picked up the ball from Abhishek drove into the right flank and took aim with an ambitious powerful shot It was bang on target finding the corner postIndia dramatically turned their fortunes around in the second quarter launching lethal attacks denting Irelands defence While the third quarter saw India break a sweat to take the lead the occasion finally arrived in the 45th minute when they were awarded a PC Harmanpreets dragflick was blocked away by the Irish keeper but Jarmanpreet who had just made a perfect injection was quick to pick up the rebound and put it past the goalie to take the 21 leadThe two goals by India changed the mood in the Kalinga Stadium with fans coming alive in jubilation The final 15 minutes continued to be eventful with plenty of scoring opportunities They even won a PC with a few minutes left on the clock while Ireland under pressure lost a man as Luke Witherow got a yellow cardWith just a little over a minute left for the final hooter Sukhjeet scored the third goal for India and this one was sublime Instead of taking the dragflick Harmanpreet adopted a brilliant variation passing the ball to Rajinder who took the shot and Sukhjeet only had to give it a finishing touch The 31 win helped India bag their third win in the prestigious league with nine points from five games IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/mens-fih-pro-league-india-overcome-tough-challenge-from-ireland-for-3-1-win-602676.html Sat, 22 Feb 2025 00:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/womens-fih-pro-league-germany-cruise-to-4-0-win-over-india-602670.html Bhubaneswar Feb 21 Germany clinched their first win of the season as they stormed to a 40 win against India in a womens section clash of FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 at the Kalinga Stadium here on Friday Sophia Schwabe 18 46 struck a stunning brace and goals from Amelie Wortmann 3 and Johanna Hachenberg 60 saw the Germans climb up to the seventh spot on the standings Germany led by former India coach Janneke Schopman began the game well and seized the lead as early as the third minute Aina Kresken drilled a low cross from the right and Amelie Wortmann found herself unmarked in the back post to slot it home The Indian defence was put under relentless pressure thereon as Germany carved out multiple attacks and won several penalty cornersHowever goalkeeper Savita Punia was in excellent form between the sticks as the Indian defence weathered the storm India created a good chance in the ninth minute when Deepika executed a superb tomahawk pass but Mumtaz Khan couldnt reach it in time The hosts had another great opportunity to level the scores in the 15th minute when they had a 2v1 chance against the German goalkeeper but failed to convertGermany doubled their lead in the 18th minute via Sophia Schwabes stunning goal Schwabe made a stirring run into the circle then weaved past three defenders and rifled a fiery strike into the right bottom cornerStaring at a twogoal deficit the Indians needed to mount a swift comeback but the torrential rain made it challenging as the pitch slowed down India though came close to finding the back of the net in the 27th minute when Navneet played a fine pass to Sharmila Devi but the latters attempt was smoothly dealt withIndia made a strong start to the third quarter as Beauty Dungdung won a penalty corner in the first minute Deepika struck a fine dragflick but blazed it just wide of the post Coach Harendra Singhs halftime chat seemed to make the difference as the Indian women upped the ante with a string of attacking moves However they lacked the desired conversion as Germany held onto their 20 lead going into the final quarterIt only got tougher for Savita and co as Schwabe scored her second goal of the evening in the 46th minute She received the ball in the goalmouth set herself up well and fired a thunderous tomahawk to make it 30 and effectively seal the game in her sides favourThe Indians seemed to have something to cheer for when Mumtaz scored in the 57th minute but the goal was disallowed for dangerous play Johanna Hachenberg squeezed in a goal with 50 seconds left on the clock as Germany closed out a commanding 40 victory IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/womens-fih-pro-league-germany-cruise-to-4-0-win-over-india-602670.html Fri, 21 Feb 2025 23:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-india-women-hope-to-change-fortune-against-germany-602397.html Bhubaneswar Feb 20 The Indian womens hockey team will be looking to turn their campaign around as they prepare to take on Germany in the FIH Pro League 202425 After a challenging start India are determined to bounce back and collect crucial points to improve their position in the standings India began their campaign with a thrilling 32 win over England but fell short in the second match against the same opponents losing 21 in a shootout after a 22 draw in regular time In their third game India fought hard against Spain in an entertaining contest but narrowly lost 34 The story repeated itself in their next match where they were edged out 10 by Spain in a closely contested encounterCurrently Salima Teteled India are placed eighth in the points table with four points from as many matches The team has shown moments of brilliance but they will be hoping to capitalise on their opportunities and find consistency as they gear up for the German challengeOn the other hand Germany will also be searching for their first regular win of the tournament Having played six matches the Germans have lost four in regulation time and one in a shootout while managing to secure a bonus point in a shootout victory They are currently placed at the bottom of the standings with three points making this a crucial matchup for both teamsSpeaking ahead of the games against Germany India captain Salima Tete said We know these upcoming games are very important for us especially after the close matches weve had The team has shown a lot of heart and effort but we need to be more clinical in key moments especially in converting our chances Germany are a tough team and we expect a challenging battle but we are determined to turn things aroundWe have worked hard in training focusing on our defense and penalty corner execution Everyone is motivated and ready to give their best in these crucial games We know whats at stake and as a team we are confident that we can rise to the challenge and deliver a strong performance she addedIndia will take on Germany on February 21 and 22 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-india-women-hope-to-change-fortune-against-germany-602397.html Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/mens-fih-pro-league-reigning-world-champs-germany-outclass-india-4-1-602078.html Bhubaneswar Feb 18 Reigning World Champions Germany defeated India 41 in a highoctane encounter in the Mens FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 at the iconic Kalinga Hockey Stadium here on Tuesday Florian Sperling 7 Thies Prinz 14 Michel Struthoff 48 and Raphael Hartkopf 55 scored a goal each that helped Germany clinch the three points while Gurjant Singh 13 was the lone goal scorer for India With the two teams sharing a healthy rivalry in international hockey the match was bound to be intense right from the start with both teams producing an exciting brand of hockey Though India looked like they held better possession in the first five minutes of the opening quarter the tacticallydriven attack by the Germans landed a field goal in the 7th minute of the game It was a brilliant assist by Eric Kleinlein to Florian Sperling who finished the job with great finesseIndia was quick to respond when Rajinder Singh often compared to former India captain and midfield maestro Sardar Singh for his skilful play set up Gurjant Singh with a classy crosspass to equalise with Germany in the 13th minuteThe highoctane opening quarter continued to bring edgeoftheseat action with Germany scoring another goal to extend their lead to 21 in the 14th minute It was Thies Prinz who scored a dramatic goal that saw Manpreet Singh taking a hit on his back trying to defend India displayed an aggressive attack going into the second quarter with youngsters in the forward line showing a lot of heart standing tall against a resolute German defenseAt the start of the quarter they came close to an equaliser when Nilakanta Sharma made a fine pass to Abhishek inside the circle but the latter was not able to control the pass There was another big chance in the 20th minute when Gurjant tried to deflect a pass from Rajinder but missed the targetMeanwhile Suraj Karkera who replaced Krishan Pathak in the second quarter came up with a brilliant save after India lost the ball to an illtimed aerial ball in the 28th minute In the following minute Dilpreet came up with an unconventional shot on goal but didnt find successThe match remained electrifying in the third quarter too and India had an excellent chance to score in the 38th minute when they won a PC In the absence of the skipper Harmanpreet Singh who was rested Jugraj Singh attempted the flick but could not come up with a good execution The following minutes though saw India defend really well with three Indian defenders marking the ball carrier The third quarter remained goalless but India ended up conceding a crucial goal in the 50th minute through Michel StruthoffThe 31 lead now put pressure on India It was a PC taken by Gonzalo Peillat which was brilliantly blocked by Indias first rusher Amit Rohidas but the rebound was taken by Struthoff who was quick to react with a clean shot on goal Though India made desperate attempts to score in the following minutes they couldnt come up with a successful result but to add to their woes they ended up conceding a fourth goal via Raphael Hartkopf thus ending in a 14 loss IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/mens-fih-pro-league-reigning-world-champs-germany-outclass-india-4-1-602078.html Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-womens-pro-league-indian-team-targets-win-against-spain-601718.html Bhubaneswar Feb 17 Indian womens hockey team is eager to get back to winning ways as they prepare to face Spain in their next set of FIH Pro League matches on February 18 and 19 here at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium After a promising start with a thrilling 32 victory over England in their opener the Salima Teteled side narrowly missed out on a bonus point in their second game losing 21 in a dramatic shootout after the match ended 22 in regulation timeDespite showing resilience India currently sits in eighth place in the standings with four points from two games and will be looking to climb higher in the points table as they face a confident Spanish sideIndias performance against England offered glimpses of their potential particularly in penalty corner conversions where they scored twice from three attempts in their opening match However they failed to replicate that success in the second game going 0 for 3 in penalty cornersVicecaptain Navneet Kaur the teams top scorer so far has been in fine form scoring a goal in each of the two games and providing stability to the Indian forward line The team is focused on sharpening their skills in key areas like setpiece execution and defensive coordination as they prepare to take on SpainSpain on the other hand arrives on the back of two consecutive victories against Germany in the India leg of the FIH Pro League They secured backtoback 21 wins over the Germans boosting their confidence ahead of their encounters with IndiaDespite their strong recent performances Spain has had a mixed run overall with just two wins and one shootout victory in the six games theyve played so far Currently placed fourth in the points table with eight points Spain will be looking to further consolidate their position Patricia Alvarez has been their standout player scoring twice to lead the teams goal tallyFor India this upcoming doubleheader is not just about reclaiming momentum but also about gaining crucial points which will set the tone for the rest of their campaign The hosts will also look to capitalise on the home crowds support and rectify the mistakes from their previous matchesSpeaking on the teams upcoming matches against Spain India captain Salima Tete said Were looking forward to our games against Spain Theyre a tricky team and we know it will be a challenging contest However our team is ready for the challenge Weve analysed our performance against England and identified the areas where we need to improve especially in terms of converting penalty corners We are focused on tightening our defense and making the most of our scoring opportunitiesThese games are crucial for us to gain momentum and we are determined to return to winning ways The team is motivated and we will give our best to secure vital points she added IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-womens-pro-league-indian-team-targets-win-against-spain-601718.html Mon, 17 Feb 2025 15:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-womens-pro-league-england-thwart-india-fightback-win-bonus-point-in-shootout--601659.html Bhubaneswar Feb 16 After a 22 draw England beat India in shootout to win the bonus point in their FIH Hockey Pro League Women match at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Sunday Navneet Kaur 53 and Rutaja Dadaso Pisal 57 scored for India while Paige Gillot 40 and Tessa Howard 56 found the net for England It was an evening to remember for Rutaja as she scored on her senior international debut to draw the game for IndiaThe first quarter saw good chances from both sides but no one could break the deadlock England were dominant with the possession and created good chances in the shooting circle while India were forced to play on the back foot England won two penalty corners in the ninth and 11th minute respectively but Savita did well in goal throughout the quarter to keep the scores levelIndia won their first penalty corner in the 16th minute as Manisha Chauhans shot took a deflection and struck the post India received another penalty corner but this time the dragflick was saved by the English keeper India received their third penalty corner in the 22nd minute but Deepikas flick couldnt make it to the netTowards the end of second quarter Rutaja and Navneet received green cards as India were briefly forced to play with nine players The home side was tight with its defence and ensured it ended the first half 00India quickly won the first penalty corner of the second half and played out a smart variation however England stopped the ball right on the line In the 38th minute England won a penalty corner but Savita made yet another save to keep her side in the contest Two minutes later England scored the opening goal through a penalty corner as captain Sophie Hamilton gave a powerful delivery into the middle of the circle and Paige Gillot deflected the ball into the roof of the net to take the lead India tried to find the equaliser through quick counterattacks but failed to be incisive in front of goalWith the final quarter underway in the 53rd minute India were through on goal but a stick tackle by Elizabeth Neal on Mumtaz stopped them in the tracks India were awarded a penalty stroke which they converted courtesy of vice captain Navneets brilliant strikeEngland received backtoback penalty corners in the dying embers of the game and found the winner in the 56th minute Hamilton delivered the ball towards the goal as the ball was deflected into the net through Tessa Howards hand on the stick After a brief check the crucial goal was given to EnglandIndia replied seconds later with a welldeserved equaliser Sunelita Toppo found a pass to Rutaja inside the circle as she dribbled around the defenders and scored a brilliant goal on her international debut in the 57th minuteWith the game all tied up after four quarters a point was awarded to both teams and the game went into a shootout with a crucial bonus point up for grabs With only Navneet and Lily Walker scoring in the first five takes the shootout went into sudden death which was won by England 21 courtesy of Hamiltons winning strike Indias Savita did brilliantly making four saves in the shootout but unfortunately for her the result went the other way IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-womens-pro-league-england-thwart-india-fightback-win-bonus-point-in-shootout--601659.html Sun, 16 Feb 2025 20:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-womens-pro-league-india-edge-past-england-through-navneets-late-goal-in-opener-601543.html Bhubaneswar Feb 15 In a thrilling encounter the Indian womens hockey team defeated England 32 in their opening match of the FIH Womens Pro League at the Kalinga Stadium here on Saturday Vicecaptain Navneet Kaur sealed the victory with a decisive late winner Vaishnavi Vitthal Phallke 6 Deepika 25 and Navneet Kaur 59 found the net for India while Darcy Bourne 12 and Fiona Crackles 58 scored for England Two of Indias goals came from penalty corners showcasing an improvement in an area that has often been considered their Achilles heelThe first quarter was tightly contested with both teams scoring once India took the lead in the sixth minute after earning the first penalty corner of the match Manisha Chauhans initial shot was blocked by Englands first rusher Tessa Howard The rebound fell to Sushila Chanu who unleashed a powerful shot that was smartly deflected into the net by Vaishnavi Vitthal Phallke After a brief review the goal was awarded to IndiaEngland responded in the 12th minute capitalizing on a defensive lapse Vaishnavi lost possession inside the shooting circle allowing Maddie Axford to take a shot which was initially saved by goalkeeper SavitaHowever Darcy Bourne reacted quickly to slot home the rebound levelling the score Towards the end of the first quarter Tessa Howard fired a powerful shot from the left but Savita produced a strong save to keep the score tied at 11The second quarter remained tightly contested India dominated possession moving the ball swiftly with accurate passing while England pressed high and won the ball in dangerous areas In the 25th minute India earned their second penaltycorner which was expertly converted by young dragflick sensation Deepika who marked her milestone 50th international appearance with a crucial goalThe third quarter was an entertaining endtoend battle with both sides attacking aggressively India focused on controlling the midfield while England attempted to exploit the flanks Katie Curtis stood out for England using her stick skills to advance the ball but India remained resolute in defense intercepting key passes In the 42nd minute India earned another penalty corner and Deepika unleashed a powerful shot only to be denied by the English goalkeeperEngland gained momentum in the final quarter earning three consecutive penalty corners but failed to convert any of them Their relentless pressure finally paid off in the 58th minute when Fiona Crackles found the equaliserHowever India responded almost immediately Just a minute later vicecaptain Navneet Kaur struck powerfully from the edge of the shooting circle sending the ball through the goalkeepers legs and into the net The late goal secured a dramatic 32 victory for India earning them three points to start their campaign on a high IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-womens-pro-league-india-edge-past-england-through-navneets-late-goal-in-opener-601543.html Sat, 15 Feb 2025 21:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/england-mens-hockey-team-arrives-in-bhubaneswar-for-fih-pro-league-matches-600888.html Bhubaneswar Feb 12 England mens hockey team touched down in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday ahead of their participation in the India leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 The upcoming matches which will be held at the iconic Kalinga Hockey Stadium promise to showcase toptier international hockey with England eager to maintain their strong run in the tournamentEngland currently ranked No 2 in the world will face Spain in their opening match in Bhubaneswar Notably England have been impressive in the FIH Hockey Pro League 202425 so far securing second place in the overall standings They have accumulated 11 points from four games recording three wins and a draw and are looking to build on this momentumA key player for England throughout the tournament has been forward Sam Ward who has emerged as the teams leading scorer with eight goals His sharp finishing and ability to find the net have been instrumental in Englands success and he will be a crucial player as the team looks to climb to the top of the standings in this leg of the competitionThe England squad will be aiming to put on a strong performance in front of an enthusiastic Indian crowd at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium which has become a renowned venue for worldclass hockeyIm really excited to be playing in India for the first time My teammates have shared their incredible experiences from the 2023 World Cup here and Im eager to experience that atmosphere myself Hopefully well be playing in front of a packed stadium when we take on India said England captain Tim Nurse upon arriving in BhubaneswarHe added Were here to win and aim to secure victories in all four games of this leg Facing India at home will be a tough challenge Weve had some intense battles with them over the past few years and I expect more closely contested matches this time aroundEnglands interim coach Zak Jones shared his thoughts upon arriving in Bhubaneswar saying Ive had the privilege of being here for the 2022 Pro League and the 2023 World Cup and I love playing here The atmosphere is incredible the crowd is fantastic and I enjoy the unique culture The hospitality is always topnotch While well need to adjust to the heat fortunately many of our players recently spent significant time playing in the Hero Hockey India League so theyre already familiar with these conditionsOn facing India Jones added Were excited for the challenge Both teams have had some great matches in the last 23 years with the most memorable being at the 2024 Paris Olympics where India beat us We have immense respect for the Indian side as they are highly skilled We are eager to face them and hope to execute our game plan and come out on top IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/england-mens-hockey-team-arrives-in-bhubaneswar-for-fih-pro-league-matches-600888.html Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/11th-padmashree-shyam-lal-memorial-hockey-tournament-to-begin-from-feb-10-600106.html New Delhi Feb 6 The 11th Padmashree Shyam Lal Memorial Invitational Hockey Tournament will be held in New Delhi from February 10 to 17 The top teams of Delhi University will participate in the male and female categories Professor Rabi Narayan Kar Principal Shyam Lal College informed that chief guests Professor Balaram Pani Dean of Colleges University of Delhi and former Olympic hockey medalist and member of the World Cup 1975 winning Indian team Ashok Dhyanchand will inaugurate the tournament on February 10 at Shyam Lal College in Shahdara at 10 am Savita Gupta chairperson of the Shyam Lal College will also be present on the occasionThe convenor of the Sports committee VS Jaggi said that ten teams in the mens category and six teams in the womens category will play on a league and knockout basis The final will be played between the top two teams The player of the match will also be rewarded in each matchLast year Shyam Lal College in the mens category and the team of Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education and Sports Science in the womens category were crowned championsThe principal of Shyam Lal College said Such tournaments are very important to promote sports at the college level and to keep children aware of fitness through sports under the Fit India campaignTeamsMen category Shyam Lal College Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education and Sports Science Kirori Mal College Amity University Indian Institute of Technology Delhi Shri Ram College of Commerce Shyam Lal College evening Hansraj College Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College Shyam Lal College AlumansWomen Category Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education and Sports Science Bharti College Delhi University Alumna Vivekanand College Shyama Prasad Mukherjee College Janaki Devi Memorial College IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/11th-padmashree-shyam-lal-memorial-hockey-tournament-to-begin-from-feb-10-600106.html Thu, 06 Feb 2025 20:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/from-selling-water-bottles-at-attari-border-to-becoming-hil-top-scorer-jugraj-singhs-inspirational-journey-599626.html New Delhi Feb 4 The sport of hockey has changed many lives producing ragstoriches galore From the rural heartlands of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh to the tribal enclaves of Jharkhand and Odisha many youngsters have used hockey to change their own lives and those of their families Jugraj Singh is the latest inspiring story of how a teenager who used to once sell Indian flags and water bottles to tourists at the AttariWagah border near Amritsar to support his family became the topscorer of the recentlyconcluded Mens Hockey India League HILThe young dragflicker Jugraj represented eventual champions Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers in the HIL and scored a hattrick in the final against Hyderabad ToofansBorn in Attari Punjab Jugrajs journey has been one of perseverance and grit When his father who served as a porter in the Indian Army fell ill Jugraj took on the responsibility of earning for his family at a young ageRecalling those challenging days Jugraj says I never once questioned why I was doing it At that time my family was my top priority and I knew that my hard work was the only way to support them and ensure we had food on the tableSelling water bottles and flags was my way of supporting my family when we had no other income I believed that hard work in whatever form would pave the way for my future and it did he was quoted as saying by Hockey India in a release on TuesdayDespite these early challenges Jugrajs passion for hockey inspired by his elder brother never wavered as he began playing hockey at the age of seven My brother played hockey in our village but when our fathers health deteriorated he gave up the game to take on our fathers job However he encouraged me to never stop playing and pushed me to excel in the sport He deserves all the credit for where I am todayJugrajs perseverance culminated in an outstanding performance during his firstever HIL season where he netted 12 goals and played a pivotal role in his teams triumph His memorable hattrick in the final against Hyderabad Toofans was the icing on the cakeReflecting on the moment Jugraj said Scoring a hattrick in a final is something every player dreams of I didnt plan it but once I scored two goals I felt in my zone and went for the third Winning the topscorer award in my maiden HIL season is a huge personal milestone which Ill cherish for a lifetimeThe 28yearold defender made full use of the HIL as a platform to showcase his talent I knew the HIL was a big opportunity for me to show what Im capable of I wanted to prove that I could be a reliable goalscorer and penalty corner converter not just for the Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers but also for the Indian team This tournament has given me the perfect stage to demonstrate my skillsJugraj attributes his success in HIL to his meticulous preparation and dedication to selfimprovement I always focused on reading the opposition goalkeepers before each match which helped me convert penalty corners I have made it a point to learn from every tournament every game and every player whether senior or junior I constantly work on improving myself and will continue to do so till the day Im playing hockeyAs he looks forward to the upcoming international tournaments Jugraj is keen to carry his form into the upcoming FIH Pro League in Bhubaneswar The HIL has given me a massive confidence boost I am in good form and if given the opportunity I will carry this momentum into the FIH Pro League and give my absolute best for the Indian team Its a big tournament and I want to keep pushing my limitsJugrajs journey from the AttariWagah border to becoming one of Indias top hockey talents is a powerful testament to the importance of resilience and perseverance Ive faced my share of obstacles but Ive always believed that hard work can overcome anything I will continue to work hard as long as I have the strength to play for my India because this country has given me everythingHe also expressed gratitude to his Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers captain Rupinder Pal Singh for trusting him with crucial penalty corners in the HIL saying Rupinders faith in me allowed me to prove my worth on the field He guided me throughout the tournament and I owe a lot of my success to his mentorshipLooking ahead Jugraj has set ambitious goals for himself in hockey His eyes are firmly fixed on achieving success at the World Cup the Asian Games and the next Olympics where he hopes to help India complete a hattrick of medals after winning bronze in Tokyo and ParisI am motivated to keep improving and delivering for the Indian team on the biggest stages I want to win Gold at the World Cup Asian Games and the Olympics Thats my next big goal and I will continue to work hard and prepare myself for these challenges IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/from-selling-water-bottles-at-attari-border-to-becoming-hil-top-scorer-jugraj-singhs-inspirational-journey-599626.html Tue, 04 Feb 2025 12:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-angad-arshdeep-get-senior-team-call-ups-as-hockey-india-name-squad-for-bhubaneswar-leg-598466.html New Delhi Jan 30 Hockey India on Thursday announced a 32member mens squad ahead of the Bhubaneswar leg of the FIH Pro League 202425 which will be held at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium Veteran dragflicker Harmanpreet Singh will continue to lead the side with deputy Hardik Singh by his side India will kickstart its campaign with matches against Spain Germany Ireland and England from February 15 to 25 playing each team twiceImpressive performances in the junior team and the ongoing Hockey India League have won 22yearold Angad Bir Singh and 20yearold Arshdeep Singh their first senior team callups for the upcoming FIH Pro League matchesThe squad includes firstchoice goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak alongwith Suraj Karkera and Princedeep Singh Jarmanpreet Singh Amit Rohidas Captain Harmanpreet Singh Sumit Sanjay Jugraj Singh Nilam Sanjeep Xess Varun Kumar and Yashdeep Siwach will be stationed in defenceIn the midfield the team features Rajkumar Pal Shamsher Singh Manpreet Singh Vice Captain Hardik Singh Vivek Sagar Prasad Nilakanta Sharma Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh and Rajinder SinghPlaying in the attack will be Abhishek Sukhjeet Singh Lalit Kumar Upadhyay Mandeep Singh Gurjant Singh Boby singh Dhami Shilanand Lakra Dilpreet Singh Araijeet Singh Hundal Uttam Singh and lastly Angad Bir Singh and Arshdeep Singh make the cutSpeaking on the squad selection Indian Mens Team Head Coach Craig Fulton stated Extremely happy with the squad we have selected for the upcoming Bhubaneswar leg matches of the FIH Pro League 202425 I believe this team can win us games perform in harmony and most importantly play an impressive brand of hockey Looking forward to training with the players in the camp and starting our Pro League campaign on the right noteI have been scouting these players over the last few weeks and am excited to see what they do against some of the best international teams in the world he addedsqaudGoalkeepers Krishan Bahadur Pathak Suraj Karkera Princedeep SinghDefenders Jarmanpreet Singh Amit Rohidas Harmanpreet Singh Sumit Sanjay Jugraj Singh Nilam Sanjeep Xess Varun Kumar Yashdeep SiwachMidfielders Rajkumar Pal Shamsher Singh Manpreet Singh Hardik Singh Vivek Sagar Prasad Nilakanta Sharma Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh Rajinder SinghForwards Abhishek Sukhjeet Singh Lalit Kumar Upadhyay Mandeep Singh Gurjant Singh Angad Bir Singh Boby Singh Dhami Shilanand Lakra Dilpreet Singh Araijeet Singh Hundal Uttam Singh Arshdeep Singh IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-angad-arshdeep-get-senior-team-call-ups-as-hockey-india-name-squad-for-bhubaneswar-leg-598466.html Thu, 30 Jan 2025 14:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-name-24-member-womens-team-for-fih-pro-league-bhubaneswar-leg-598208.html New Delhi Jan 29 Hockey India on Wednesday announced the 24member womens team for the Bhubaneswar leg of the FIH Pro League 202425 which will be held at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium from February 15 to 25 India will face off against visiting teams England the Netherlands Spain and Germany playing each team twice Their campaign kicks off with a match against England on February 15Dynamic midfielder Salima Tete will lead the Indian team as captain with forward Navneet Kaur serving as vice captainThe squad includes goalkeepers Savita and Bichu Devi Kharibam while Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam Nikki Pradhan Udita Jyoti Ishika Chaudhary and Jyoti Chhatri have been selected as defendersIn the midfield the team features Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke Neha Manisha Chauhan Salima Tete Sunelita Toppo Lalremsiami Baljeet Kaur and Sharmila Devi Forwards in the squad include Navneet Kaur Mumtaz Khan Preeti Dubey Rutaja Dadaso Pisal Beauty Dungdung Sangita Kumari Deepika and Vandana KatariyaAlso the standby list comprises goalkeeper Banwari Solanki defenders Akshata Abaso Dhekale and Jyoti Singh along with forwards Sakshi Rana Annu and SonamNotably as per the FIH regulations if a team has more than 4 matches scheduled to play during a FIH Pro League stage they can revise their 24member squad after the first 4 matches However any changes must be made using players from their preapproved substitution listSonam in particular stand a chance to make her senior international debut after an impressive performance in the recently concluded Womens Hockey India League where she was the secondhighest scorerSpeaking on the squad selection chief coach Harendra Singh said We are pleased with the squad we have selected for the Bhubaneswar leg of the FIH Pro League 202425 This team brings a good blend of experienced players and exciting young talent which will be crucial as we face toplevel competition in the tournament Our focus has been on building a balanced squad with strong options in every positionI am particularly excited to see how some of the younger players perform especially those who have shown great promise in the Womens Hockey India League We are confident in the teams preparation and I believe we have the potential to deliver strong performances against some of the best teams in the world he addedSquadGoalkeepers Savita Punia Bichu Devi KharibamDefenders Nikki Pradhan Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam Udita Ishika ChaudharyJyoti Chhatri JyotiMidfielder Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke Neha Salima Tete Manisha Chauhan Sunelita Toppo Lalremsiami Sharmila Devi Baljeet KaurForwards Navneet Kaur Sangita Kumari Vandana Katariya Deepika Preeti Dubey Rutaja Dadaso Pisal Beauty Dungdung Mumtaz Khan IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-name-24-member-womens-team-for-fih-pro-league-bhubaneswar-leg-598208.html Wed, 29 Jan 2025 12:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-bengal-tigers-surge-back-to-beat-delhi-sg-pipers-2-1-to-reach-semis-598088.html Rourkela Odisha Jan 27 The Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers made a comeback for the ages by scoring two goals in the final five minutes to beat the Delhi SG Pipers in the Mens Hockey India League HIL clash here on Monday By virtue of their stunning comefrombehind win the Bengal Tigers qualified for the semifinals by amassing 18 points from nine matches Tomas Domene gave the Delhi SG Pipers the lead in the 27th minute but late strikes from Rupinder Pal Singh 55 and Sebastien Dockier 59 earned the Bengal Tigers a magnificent winBoth teams got off to a cagey start in what was an evenlycontested first quarter There was just one penalty corner won by the SG Pipers but the resulting strike was off target The SG Pipers largely attacked from the left through Dilraj Singh but it was the Bengal Tigers who came close to opening the scoring Dockier combined well with Abhishek to breach the opposition circle but Benjamin Rennie made a fine save to deny themThe SG Pipers relentless pressure paid off in the 27th minute after some superb linkup play between Domene and Lucas Toscani Domene found Toscani with a fine through ball and continued his run as the latter returned the pass Domene slashed hard at the ball and it found the roof of the net to make it 10 in favour of the SG PipersThe Bengal Tigers thought they had the equalizer in the 31st minute when Sukhkjeet Singh scored but his goal was later disallowed It appeared as though the SG Pipers had done enough to see out a narrow victory but the Bengal Tigers seized control of the game in the final quarterSkipper Rupinder offered his side a lifeline when he scored off a fine penalty corner variation Jugraj in the second battery received the push and laid it beautifully for Rupinder who slammed the ball home to make it 11 with five minutes left in the contestThe turning point came in the 59th minute when Gursewak Singh made a marauding run on the right beating man after man before playing a peach of a ball across the goal Dockier who was at the right place at the right time displayed his poachers instinct to tap the ball from close range and cap off a fantastic win for the Bengal Tigers IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-bengal-tigers-surge-back-to-beat-delhi-sg-pipers-2-1-to-reach-semis-598088.html Tue, 28 Jan 2025 20:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-soorma-hockey-club-eye-semis-spot-in-pivotal-clash-against-table-toppers-598099.html Rourkela Jan 28 As the Mens Hockey India League HIL 202425 approaches its decisive phase JSW Soorma Hockey Club is gearing up for a crucial encounter against the tabletoppers Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers scheduled on Wednesday With the semifinal spots still up for grabs among the top five teams this match holds significant importance for both sidesReflecting on their previous meeting on January 20 where Soorma clinched a narrow 21 victory courtesy of goals from Prabhjot Singh and Maninder Singh head coach Jeroen Baart emphasised the teams resilience and strategic executionOur players showcased exceptional determination to secure a narrow win against the Tigers last time around Securing that win was pivotal but we are aware that the upcoming match presents a new challenge and we are prepared to showcase the same attitude in the match tomorrow he saidThe Tigers are on top of the points table with 18 points from nine games Rupinder Pal Singh and Jugraj Singh have been the standout players for them scoring five and eight goals respectively Hence the penalty corner defence will be a critical area for SoormaHead coach Baart acknowledged the strengths of the Bengal Tigers noting They are a formidable team with a strong track record this season We respect their capabilities from penalty corners but remain confident in our preparation and our first rushers who have been exceptional in closing down drag flickers throughout the season so farSoorma have been in good form since the beginning of the second phase and are coming off a 53 victory against the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers Highlighting the teams focus Baart added Our approach centers on disciplined defence and capitalizing on scoring opportunities Every player understands the stakes and we are committed to delivering our best performance to secure a spot in the semifinal IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-soorma-hockey-club-eye-semis-spot-in-pivotal-clash-against-table-toppers-598099.html Tue, 28 Jan 2025 20:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-team-that-defends-the-best-will-make-it-to-final-says-floris-wortelboer-597736.html New Delhi Jan 27 As the mens Hockey India League HIL is reaching its business end the battle for the top four spots has intensified The top five teams are only separated by three points in the standings living to the expectations of the muchanticipated return of the tournament Paris Olympics gold medallist and UP Rudras midfielder Floris Wortelboer feels that the intensity of the matches is making it more interesting adding that the team who defends well will make it to the final Yeah its good so far Its a great experience Im in India now for one month and Im really enjoying it A really nice team A good mix between foreign players and Indian players So yeah Im enjoying it And now the most exciting matches will come in the coming weeks Wortelboer told IANS We started the tournament quite well We won two games and then we lost a few Of course they were not our best games but in the end we won two times against Gunaseka We really needed that win he added reflecting on their 20 win against Team GonasikaThe Dutch midfielder is happy to see the intense battle between teams for the top four spots in the standings Yeah I think thats a good part of the competition We are fighting with five other teams for four spots in the top four You have to be sharp in every game For example if we lose two times we are not in the top fourIf we maybe win one time we make it to the top four Because its so close I think its also good for the competition Its better than when theres a top four already named after a few games I think its also exciting for the people watching I think its nice he saidWhen asked about the squad combination of UP Rudras Wortelboer said I think we have quite a nice group We have young talented players We have more experienced players We have eight foreign players from New Zealand England and Spain I think its also nice to mix up all the coaches We also have a Dutch coach and trainers We really try to connect with each other also when we are not on the pitch in a hotel for example We all have one goal and thats winning the league We really try to connect and improve our playWortelboer who has scored one goal in nine matches for UP Rudras revealed how he shares his knowledge with Indian youngsters on the field It happened in the beginning and I think now its more normal for the younger Indian players I think they really want to learn and they really want to play for the national team of India so they have to improve They have to learn a lot They are really good with the ball Their skills are amazing but they can learn a lot in defensive play We really try to help them and try to push them to a higher level especially without the ball he saidFor example during games they really like to attack but it starts with defending Its not that they always come to you but we really try to help them and improve their way of play the midfielder addedWortelboer emphasised that the HIL experience will help young and upcoming players improve their skills and make a case for national selection I think there are a few guys who will definitely play in the national team in a few years You dont get it for free so they have to work for it They really want to learn and try to learn There are also in our UP team a lot of players who can make it to the national team but of course its not easy We have a few players All of our players are good playersFor example Sudeep is a really good player when he has the ball He is really skilful but you can also see that he is not used to playing at the top level Its all new for him I think when he is training with the national team or playing with the national team players he will improve his game I think thats one of our biggest talented players We also have Manmeet Singh He is also really skilful I think its also more about the mind game They have to be more smart in the way of playingThey really want to attack always If you only attack you will get some goals again I can name a few other players but in the end they are all talented They all have to improve so they are not there yet If they try to pick up the level from the international players I think they will learn a lot in this period he concludedWith 15 points in nine matches UP Rudras are placed fourth in the table and will next face Tamil Nadu Dragons in their last league game on Wednesday IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-team-that-defends-the-best-will-make-it-to-final-says-floris-wortelboer-597736.html Mon, 27 Jan 2025 17:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-soorma-gear-up-for-crucial-clash-against-vedanta-kalinga-lancers-in-semis-push-597590.html Rourkela Jan 26 Soorma Hockey Club are building up a head of steam in the business end of the season having won both their matches in Phase 2 Their penultimate match of the mens league will be against the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on Monday In their previous encounter with the Lancers Soorma registered a narrow 43 victory courtesy of a goal from Harish Somappa MutagarIt was close against the Lancers the last time but we wont change our approach for this match We have to just make sure that we are ready and that we are able to make sure that our team is fit and fresh to play this game We want to be the best version of ourselves in each and every game and we want to make sure that the players are ready to play this big game again head coach Jeroen Baart commentedSoorma are placed fifth on the points table having secured three wins two penalty shootout wins and one penalty shootout loss They have won both their matches in Pool A since Phase 2 began placing them in contention to make it to the semifinal with two games left in the leagueIm pretty proud of our team We have made progress from the moment we got together in the beginning of December until now Every session that we went together on the field off the field in the meeting room or in the gym these boys are very eager and are working together to become better every single moment Im really proud of the evolution that we had to make sure that we keep building and we get to the best version of ourselves at the end Jeroen explainedThe Lancers themselves are placed sixth on the points table Thierry Brinkman has been their standout player scoring nine goals in nine matches to stand on top of the goalscoring chart They have a slight chance to make it to the semifinal if they win this encounter as well making it a crucial game for SoormaI think Thierrys a very highquality player He has a certain drive which makes him very dangerous in the offensive circle We have to be mindful of it so that means our defense will be oriented to him definitely But hes not the only player that we have to watch out for the Lancers they also have Domene and Antoine Kina But again Im pretty sure that like we saw in the first game that we played them we can match those qualities as well and we will be ready to face them he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-soorma-gear-up-for-crucial-clash-against-vedanta-kalinga-lancers-in-semis-push-597590.html Sun, 26 Jan 2025 16:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-hendrickx-leads-vedanta-kalinga-lancers-to-shootout-win-against-delhi-sg-pipers-596357.html Rourkela Jan 20 The Vedanta Kalinga Lancers pulled off a stunning comeback to win a shootout against the Delhi SG Pipers in the ongoing Hockey India League The Kalinga Lancers were trailing 14 at the halfway mark but goals from Alexander Hendrickx 13 52 Thierry Brinkman 35 47 and Angad Bir Singh 49 saw them make a remarkable comeback and win the subsequent shootout The SG Pipers despite strikes from Tomas Domene 18 20 Corey Weyer 21 Koji Yamasaki 23 and Dilraj Singh 37 still await their first win of the season The SG Pipers eager to avenge their loss to the Kalinga Lancers a few days ago made a strong start to win a penalty corner in the fourth minute Jarmanpreet Singh who had missed the previous clash opted for a slapshot but Krishan Pathak was up to the challenge Jarmanpreet created a fine chance a few moments later but Sanjay swooped in to clear the danger The Kalinga Lancers broke the deadlock in the 12th minute when Hendrickxs dragflick took a massive deflection off Rohits boot and sailed into the goal It was a wellworked variation and Hendrickx had intended to lay it for Aran Zalewski but a stroke of luck fetched him a goal insteadTrailing by a goal the SG Pipers turned the game around in the second quarter They struck four goals in five minutes to stun the Kalinga Lancers Domene beat Pathak with a ferocious dragflick in the 18th minute to equalise Two minutes later Domene fired another thunderous strike this time to Pathaks left to bag his second goal of the evening Weyer got on the scoresheet a minute later when he beat Pathak from close range and the SG Pipers took a comfortable 31 lead It only got better for them as Yamasaki became the first Japanese player to score in the HIL He latched onto a deflection from Pathak and slammed it home to give his team a threegoal cushion at 41It was always going to be an uphill battle for the Kalinga Lancers thereon as they looked to find a way back into the game They pulled one back through Brinkman in the 35th minute when he scored into an unguarded goal after the goalkeeper came off his line However the SG Pipers restored their threegoal lead soon after as Dilraj found the back of the net Domene made a surging run into the box and squared it for Dilraj who coolly slotted it into the net to make it 52The Kalinga Lancers began the final quarter in fine fashion as Brinkman struck his eighth goal of the season Antoine Kina played a stunning nolook pass that cut through the opposition defence and Brinkman turned it in to give his side a lifeline There was more joy for the Kalinga Lancers as Angad converted Arthur van Dorens pinpoint pass from the left to make it 45 with 11 minutes to go The capacity home crowd erupted in celebration in the 52nd minute when Hendrickx scored from a sublime dragflick and the Kalinga Lancers completed a remarkable comeback to make it 55 A tense final eight minutes followed and neither team managed to find a goal as a shootout ensuedThe two teams were tied at 22 in the shootout when the pressure got to Pawan and he shoved Dilpreet from behind to give away a penalty stroke Hendrickx made no mistake from the spot as the Kalinga Lancers took a 32 lead and their goalkeeper Toby ReynoldsCotterill pulled off a brilliant save to win them the shootout and the bonus point IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-hendrickx-leads-vedanta-kalinga-lancers-to-shootout-win-against-delhi-sg-pipers-596357.html Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/ice-hockey-league-kang-sings-retain-season-2-mens-title-with-dominant-win-595238.html Leh Jan 13 Defending champions Kang Sings successfully retained their Ice Hockey League title in the mens category on Monday overpowering last years runnersup Changthang Shans with a commanding 52 victory in the Season 2 final at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan NDS Stadium here Captain Mushtaq Ahmed and Stanzin Angchok led from the front each scoring twice to help their team secure backtoback championships The Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League Season 2 organized in collaboration with the UT Administration of Ladakh and the Ice Hockey Association of LadakhThe 10day tournament which featured 30 fiercely competitive matches concluded with a grand finale that highlighted the growing popularity of Ice Hockey in Ladakh The final also included captivating performances from Dorjey Stakmo the Ladakh Dance Academy and a breathtaking figure skating showcase adding cultural vibrancy to the eventThe winners were awarded the coveted championship trophy along with a cash prize of INR 25 lakh while the runnersup received a trophy and a cash prize of INR 15 lakh In the womens category played a day earlier champions Maryul Spamo and runnersup Changla Lamos were honoured with similar trophies and cash prizes during Mondays ceremonyKang Sings captain Mushtaq Ahmed Giri received the Best Player Award in the mens category along with a cash prize of INR 25000 while Maryul Spamos captain Padma Chorol claimed the Best Player Award in the womens category also receiving INR 25000 The Fair Play Awards Team went to Humas Warriors in the mens category and Sham Eagles in the womens category with both teams receiving cash prizes of INR 25000In an electrifying grand finale of the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League Season 2 defending champions Kang Sings retained their title after a dominant 52 victory over Changthang ShansThe match kicked off with both teams battling hard to control the puck but it was the Shans who struck first in the 12th minute when Stanzin Thinles netted a superb goal assisted by captain Chamba Tsetan to take a 10 lead However Kang Sings responded swiftly in the 15th minute with Stanzin Angchok scoring a brilliant equaliser levelling the game 11 by the end of the first period Both teams displayed fierce energy with penalties handed out to Tsering Galpo and Nurbo Zangpo for foul playThe second period witnessed Kang Sings seizing the momentum Captain Mushtaq Ahmed with assistance from Stanzin Angchok delivered a spectacular wrist shot in the 23rd minute giving his team a crucial 21 lead Despite Changthang Shans efforts to equalize the Sings solid defense thwarted their attempts Six minutes before the period ended Stanzin Angchok scored again completing his double and extending the lead to 31The final period was intense with both teams relentlessly fighting for control Five minutes into the period Mushtaq Ahmed scored his second goal pushing the lead to 41 Changthang Shans mounted a late comeback with captain Chamba Tsetan scoring in the 56th minute to bring the score to 42However Kang Sings immediately countered with another goal from Stanzin Angchok in the same minute sealing a decisive 52 victory With this win Kang Sings successfully defended their title emerging as backtoback champions of the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League mens categorySpeaking after the win Kang Sings captain Mushtaq Ahmed Giri said Retaining this championship is a dream come true for our team Its not just about the victory but the journey weve undertaken together the hard work and the unyielding support from our community This win is for every Ladakhi who believes in the power of ice hockey to unite and inspireCommencing the ceremony Royal Enfield reiterated its commitment to the development of ice hockey in Ladakh as part of its overarching social mission to empower Himalayan communities This season witnessed the inclusion of stateoftheart skate sharpening machines jersey designs crafted from recycled PET bottles and a locally inspired championship trophy designed by Ladakhi artist Nawang Gyalston IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/ice-hockey-league-kang-sings-retain-season-2-mens-title-with-dominant-win-595238.html Mon, 13 Jan 2025 22:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-soorma-hockey-club-eager-to-face-hyderabad-toofans-challenge-594716.html Rourkela Jan 10 Soorma Hockey Club are halfway through phase 1 of the mens Hockey India League being held at the iconic Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela They are just two points away from joint table toppers Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers and Tamil Nadu Dragons after four matches played Soorma Hockey Club will now aim to continue their stellar performances in the second half of the phase beginning with a match against Hyderabad Toofans on Saturday So far Soorma have clinched one outright win against the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers and have registered two penalty shootout wins against Tamil Nadu Dragons and Delhi SG Pipers to amass seven pointsI think weve been very resilient We havent started our games at our best sometimes but weve seen in almost each game that we were able to get back in the game fight until the end and get the win over the finishing line I think thats a really important habit that we that we do not let things go and we keep fighting until the last minute and Im pretty happy with that We need to be stronger from the start and its our key focus for the next few games that we play a better hockey game for the whole duration But Im very happy with our endings every time and I hope we keep getting the points at the end of the game head coach Jeroen Baart reflected on the teams performances so farIn the last game against Delhi SG Pipers Soorma found themselves staring at a twogoal deficit in the last quarter But captain Harmanpreet Singh stepped up to lead from the front and found the back of the net twice with his unstoppable drag flicks to bring Soorma back into the game Heroic saves from Vincent Vanasch in the penalty shootouts then ensured that they walked away from the game with a bonus point as wellIts definitely not part of the strategy I think we try to be as good in the first half as in the second half but sometimes it doesnt happen The opposition sometimes changes things as well and we have to just manage to get through the first part of the game with the right amount of quality in the right mind and the right amount of intent And its definitely not a choice But Im pretty happy with the conviction that we have had in every secondhalf until now because that has propelled us to third place on the table with seven points We have to make sure that in the next game against the Hyderabad Toofans we perform again he explainedThe Hyderabad Toofans have won one of their matches and secured a penalty shootout victory meaning they are just two points away from equaling Soormas tally The 26yearold Australian forward Tim Brand has already notched up two goals for his side The Toofans also boast one of the best drag flickers in the world Gonzalo PeillatWe played a practice game against them before the League began but that was more for us to look at ourselves I think they have a couple of really quality players at the top of the circle And yes they have Peillat at the top of the circle but we have Vincent Vanasch in goal and we really rely on him as of course as well to make a difference for us So we know that there are talented players in the team but again were focusing more on ourselves he commentedVictor Wegnez is also very close to getting back on the pitch We also dont want to rush things so we have to see this day by day and hope that we can get him as soon as possible on the pitch again because hes an important factor for our team Jeroen added before signing off IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-soorma-hockey-club-eager-to-face-hyderabad-toofans-challenge-594716.html Fri, 10 Jan 2025 15:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/ice-hockey-league-mushtaq-leads-kang-sings-to-historic-9-0-win-reach-semis-594594.html Leh Jan 9 Defending champions Kang Sings advanced to the semifinals of Season 2 of the Ice Hockey League with a stunning 90 victory over United Nubra at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan NDS Stadium here on Thursday Defending champions Maryul Spamo also made it to the semifinals beating Sham Eagles in the final group stage match of the womens category Captain Mushtaq Ahmeds 4goal haul helped his team register the biggest win of the season so far In the womens category defending champions Maryul Spamo clinched a semifinal berth by defeating Sham Eagles 20 in their final group stage match They will be joined in the semifinals by Changla Lamos Humas Queens and Sham EaglesMeanwhile the final semifinalists in the mens category will be confirmed on the last group stage day The day also featured an exciting 22 draw between Changla Blasters and Shakar Chiktan Royals while Purig Warriors secured a 20 victory over Maryul Spawo to stay in contentionThe Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League Season 2 is being organised in partnership with the UT Administration of Ladakh and the Ice Hockey Association of Ladakh at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan NDS Stadium LehChangla Blasters held 22Day 6 of the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League Season 2 kicked off with a gripping match as the Changla Blasters battled to a 22 draw against Shakar Chiktan Royals Both teams showcased solid defensive play in the first period resulting in a goalless first 20 minutes The action picked up in the second period when Stanzin Namgail of the Blasters scored a clinical wrist shot in the opening minutes assisted by Namgail giving his side a 10 lead The Royals responded swiftly with Ali Akbar scoring the equaliser just six minutes laterBy the 29th minute Asgar Ali assisted by Iftiqar Hussain gave the Royals a 21 advantage as they closed out the second period Despite the Royals best efforts to secure their first win of the season Tundup Gyalson of the Blasters struck a crucial equalizer in the final period ensuring the game ended in a 22 drawLate goal secures winKargilbased Purig Warriors maintained their strong run in the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League Season 2 by defeating Lehbased Maryul Spawo 20 in a closely contested game Both teams played a cautious game in the first period effectively nullifying scoring opportunitiesThe drama unfolded in the 7th minute when Nadeem Sarwars highstick goal was disallowed by the referee due to rule violations The first period ended goallessThe deadlock was finally broken in the 34th minute of the second period when Kunchuk Tharpa struck a brilliant snap shot to give the Warriors a 10 lead In the final period the Warriors focused on defense while looking for opportunities to extend their lead on the counter Sarfaraz Hussain delivered the decisive blow with just 25 seconds remaining on the clock scoring a stunning running wrist shot to secure the Warriors a 20 win solidifying second place in Group B standingsMaryul Spamo in semisIn the final group stage match of the womens category defending champions Maryul Spamo continued their dominance with a 20 win over Sham Eagles Maryul Spamo got off to a flying start with skipper Padma Chorol scoring in the second minute Just three minutes later Rinchen Dolma doubled their lead giving the defending champions a comfortable 20 advantage by the end of the first period Period 2 was marked by strong defensive efforts from both sides with neither team able to capitalise on scoring opportunitiesHeading into the final period Spamo focused on preserving their lead Their tactical defensive strategy paid off effectively keeping the Sham Eagles at bay and ending the game 20 With this win Maryul Spamo finished the group stage at the top of the table and will be facing Humas Queens in tomorrows semifinal while Sham Eagles will face Tsewang Chuskits Changla Lamos in the second semifinal on SaturdayBig win for Kang SingsThe final game of Day 6 in the mens category of the event witnessed a stunning performance by defending champions Kang Sings who delivered a resounding 90 victory over United Nubra The seasons biggest win margin thereby secured them a place in the semifinalsThe unbeaten Kang Sings took an early lead in the 9th minute thanks to Deldan Namgyals sharp snapshot The first period ended with the Sings leading 10 Period 2 saw the defending champions shift gears as Stanzin Largail scored in the 25th minute followed by captain Mushtaq Ahmeds quick strike in the 27th minute extending their lead to 30Mushtaq added another goal before the period ended taking the score to 40 The final period showcased Mushtaq Ahmeds brilliance as he completed his hattrick with backtoback goals in the 45th and 49th minutesThe Sings continued their dominance with three more goals from Stanzin Lotos Stanzin Phuntsog and Deldan Namgyal sealing the biggest victory of the league so far at 90 With this emphatic win Kang Sings advanced confidently to the semifinals showcasing why they are the team to beat this seasonAs the mens group stage enters its final day on Friday the competition will further intensify with teams vying to secure their spot in the semifinals Changthang Shan will take on Sham Wolves with both teams in with a chance to get to the semis Changla Warriors will then take on Humas Warriors in a potential knockout encounterIn the womens category defending champions Maryul Spamo will face Humas Queens in an actionpacked semifinal The last group game of the season will see Maryul Spawo and Zangskar Chadar Tamers compete in a dead rubber aiming to finish their campaign with a winThe final of the womens category is scheduled for January 12 followed by the mens championship final and the closing ceremony on January 13 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/ice-hockey-league-mushtaq-leads-kang-sings-to-historic-9-0-win-reach-semis-594594.html Thu, 09 Jan 2025 20:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-team-gonasika-beat-hyderabad-toofans-for-first-win-of-season-593689.html Rourkela Jan 4 SV Sunil Victor Charlet and Nilam Sanjeep Xess scored a goal each as Team Gonasika secured their first win of Hockey India League HIL 202425 beating Hyderabad Toofans 31 at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium here on Saturday Sunil opened the scoring in the second minute for Team Gonasika and Charlet and Xess were successful in the 33rd and 60th minutes while Tim Brand 12 scored the lone goal for Hyderabad Toofans Sunil and Mandeep Singh had been a lethal attacking pair in the 2010s with the duo combining to score many important goals for India They did it once again to give Gonasika the lead in the second minute Lee Morton played the ball to Mandeep with the India forward losing his defender and creating some space for himself Mandeep displayed incredible agility and vision to play a superb pass to Sunil who tapped it into the empty goalThe Toofans levelled against the run of play in the 12th minute Zachary Wallace played a pass toward the post Shilanand Lakra helping the ball along the way Both Rajinder Singh and Tim Brand were at hand to try and squeeze it past Oliver Payne It was Brand who got the telling touch Sunil nearly gave Gonasika their lead again in the final minute as he sneaked towards the far post Goalkeeper Dominic Dixon did enough to close down the angle as Sunil ran out of room to shootGonasika thought they took the lead in the 22nd minute Araijeet Singh Hundal stole the ball high up on the pitch and threaded the Toofans defence to find Timothee Clement The French forward took a touch before tomahawking the ball past Dixon However the TV umpire found that Clement had used his backstick in his shot The Toofans had a big chance to take the lead as they made their way into the circle Arshdeep Singh made space for himself at the post and went across the goal The ball however fizzed across the face of the goalTeam Gonasika could have gone into the break with the lead if not for Devendra Walmikis timely intervention Lee Morton was found in the circle with a crossfield diagonal Morton fired in a cross for fellow Scotsman Struan Walker who was waiting at the far post Walmiki was at the right place to deflect the ball away from WalkerGonasika had the perfect start to the half as they once again took the lead They won four penalty corners on the trot with Victor Charlet finally firing his drag flick past Dixon in the 33rd minute The Toofans had their fair share of chances to score but were unable to find the killer touch as Gonasika ended the quarter with their lead intactThe Toofans had a flurry of chances in the opening few minutes of the final quarter but were thwarted by a solid Gonasika defence Gonasikas best chance in the early minutes fell to Sunil from a counter but the former India forward was unable to get his shot awayIn the 53rd minute Maico Casella jinxed past two players which gave him the time to pick out the perfect pass The Argentine player found the run of Wallace with the Australian getting past one defender However Wallaces touch let him down as Gonasika scrambled to get the ball out of their circleThe Toofans have been the most successful team from penalty corners this season having scored four goals before today It was thus a testament to Gonasikas defence that the Toofans won their first penalty corner in the 57th minute Gonzalo Peillat one of the deadliest drag flickers in the game saw his effort blocked down by his opposite number CharletThe Toofans took off their goalkeeper as they went in search of the equaliser Unfortunately they were unable to make it count with Gonasika managing to make it 31 with Nilam Sanjeep Xess poking the ball into the empty goal in the final minute IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-team-gonasika-beat-hyderabad-toofans-for-first-win-of-season-593689.html Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-vincent-vanaschs-crucial-saves-helps-soorma-beat-kalinga-lancers--593829.html Rourkela Jan 5 Vincent Vanasch put in a stellar performance in goal to help Soorma Hockey Club beat Kalinga Lancers 43 in the Hockey India League at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on Sunday Jeremy Hayward 11 Nicolas della Torre 35 Harmanpreet Singh 50 and Harish Somappa 52 scored for Soorma Hockey Club while Thierry Brinkman 5 Sanjay 30 and Gursahibjit Singh 50 were on target for the LancersIn a match which saw the Lancers notch 26 circle penetrations and nine shots in comparison to the Soormas 14 circle penetrations and seven shots it was Vanaschs heroics in goal which laid the foundations of Soormas winThe home side started strongly as they put pressure on the Soorma Hockey Club defence with multiple circle entries in the opening minutes The Lancers deservedly took the lead in the fifth minute through Thierry BrinkmanThe Lancers broke on the counter with Enrique Gonzalez and Brinkmann leading a 2v1 The captain of the Netherlands national team showcased his superb dribbling and 3D skills to ride the challenges of Harmanpreet Singh and Nicolas della Torre before squeezing the ball past Vincent VanaschHarmanpreet Singh and Soorma got their first penalty corners in the 10th minute after a swift counter launched by Jeremy Hayward The Lancers were able to thwart Harmanpreet the first time with Soorma squandering the second penalty corner due to a failed trapping of the injectionSoorma only needed to wait a minute more for their goal and it indeed came via a penalty corner However this time the injection went to Hayward at the second battery with Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Sanjay unable to fully block the Australians drag flick The ball hit both players before rolling into the goal to level the scores in the 11th minuteThe Lancers won a penalty corner right before the hooter went to mark the end of the quarter The Lancers switched their tactics up by injecting the ball to Sanjay at the second battery instead of the more experienced Alexander Hendricks at the first battery The young Indian was on the money with his drag flick to give his side the lead right at the end of the first quarterThe Lancers had a golden opportunity to extend their lead to 31 in the 21st minute but were denied by Vanasch Nicolas Bandurak only had Vanasch to beat The Belgian keeper showcased his experience by closing down the angle and saving Banduraks shot The Englishman tried his luck from the rebound from an acute angle but his shot hit the outside of the post and went outSoorma had a good spell of possession towards the end of the quarter and could have levelled the match once again but for some stunning defence from the Lancers The home side put two rushers to block Harmanpreets drag flick and they did just thatThe ball was recycled to the post where a Soorma player scooped the ball over Pathak only to see it swatted away on the line by Arthur van DorenIt didnt take long in the second half for Soorma to draw level once again They won their fifth penalty corner in the 35th minute and Della Torre fired his drag flick right into the top cornerThe Lancers could have taken the lead in the 40th minute as they won a penalty corner Vansach was once again at hand to save Hendrickxs drag flick and keep out Antoine Kinas attempt from the reboundThe Lancers had the ball in the back of the goal in the 42nd minute as Van Dorens pass from the 23m line seemingly took a touch off Gursahibjit Singhs stick The goal was sent to the TV umpire who found no evidence that Gursahibjit helped the ball goalwardsThe Lancers had a flurry of chances towards the end of the quarter but were unable to find the finishing touchSoorma came close to taking the lead in the fourth quarter Gurjant Singh got the ball in the circle With his back to goal the Indian forward made space before hitting a tomahawk shot The ball whizzed past the postIn the 48th minute the Lancers fashioned another good chance as Bandurak tried to hit the ball from between his legs from point blank range Vanasch was positioned perfectly to save itHarmanpreet finally opened his Hockey India League account in the 50th minute to give Soorma the lead for the first time in the match The Indian captain fired his drag flick straight down the goal with Sanjay unable to save itThe lead barely lasted a minute as the Lancers hit back through Gursahibjit Singh Kina dribbled past Harmanpreet in the circle and made his way to the goal line The Belgian player cut the ball back towards the front of goal where Gursahibjit turned it past Vanasch to make it 33There was barely any time for the fans to catch their breath before Soorma scored to snatch the lead Phil Roper danced past a couple of defenders before playing the ball towards the far post Harish Somappa slid in to poke the ball into the empty goal to make it 43 for Soorma in the 52nd minuteThe Lancers won a pair of penalty corners but both Hendrickx and Sanjay were unable to make it countRoper should have made it 53 in the 57th minute Gurjant Singhs shot was saved by Pathak with the ball rebounding towards Roper The English player had the goal gaping in front of him but somehow managed to hit the ball past the wrong side of the postThe Lancers won a penalty stroke in the 58th minute as Vivek Sagar Prasad was judged to have deliberately brought down Aran Zalewski in the circle Vanasch won the battle of the Belgians as he went the right way to save Hendrickxs attemptThe Lancers pulled out Pathak for an extra outfield player as they threw the kitchen sink to find the leveller With less than a minute left in the match the Lancers went on the attack and won a penalty corner Hendrickxs drag flick was once again saved by Vanasch as Soorma held on to secure victoryPlayer of the Match Vincent Vanasch said Penalty strokes are always a bit about luck I chose the right side It was a tough match with seven goals but I am happy we got the three points IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-vincent-vanaschs-crucial-saves-helps-soorma-beat-kalinga-lancers--593829.html Sun, 05 Jan 2025 21:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-delhi-sg-pipers-go-down-against-bengal-tigers-593683.html Rourkela Jan 4 A brace of goals by Jugraj Singh helped Bengal Tigers beat Delhi SG Pipers 41 and hand them their first outright defeat of the season in the ongoing Hockey India League HIL at the Birsa Munda Stadium here on Saturday Jugraj 17th 38th converted two penalty corners while Sukhjeet Singh 1st and Abhishek 47th struck from field play for Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers Delhis lone goal was scored from a penalty corner by Gareth Furlong in the 53rd minuteIn the earlier two matches before this for the Delhi team both of which went to the shootouts the Pipers won the first while losing the second The win their third straight propelled Bengal Tigers to the top of the points tableOn Saturday the Bengal Tigers started the match in the best fashion possible when Sukhjeet scored 30 seconds into the contest from a field effort to push the Delhi SG Pipers on the backfoot from the outsetThe Tigers maintained their shape throughout the first quarter while also defending solidly to deny the Pipers offensive forays Even though Delhi SG Pipers had more circle penetrations they failed to get a shot on target Two minutes into the second quarter Jugraj doubled the Bengal Tigers lead with a powerful drag flick from a penalty cornerDelhi SG Pipers too had their chances when in the 22nd minute Bengal Tigers goalkeeper Jamie Carr made four saves on the trot to keep his sides lead intact In the 27th minute Tomas Domene came close to scoring for Delhi SG Pipers but his deflection from a narrow angle went just outside the goalpost as Bengal Tigers went into the breather leading 20Eight minutes after the change of ends Jugraj scored his second goal of the day again converting a penalty corner to the right of Delhi SG Pipers goalkeeper Pawan Delhi SG Pipers tried hard but were completely denied by the Bengal TigersTwo minutes into the final quarter an unmarked Abhishek scored an easy tapin goal to make the scoreline 40 in Bengal Tigers favourTrailing by four goals Delhi SG Pipers finally pulled one back in the final seven minutes through Furlongs penalty corner conversionThat was all Delhi SG Pipers could manage in the evening as Bengal Tigers pocketed a full three points from the game The Delhi team are up against Soorma Hockey Club next in two days as the two teams will lock horns against each other on January 6 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-delhi-sg-pipers-go-down-against-bengal-tigers-593683.html Sat, 04 Jan 2025 22:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/former-india-hockey-coach-jagbir-singh-hospitalised-after-suffering-a-heart-attack-593529.html Rourkela Odisha Jan 3 Former India forward and hockey coach Jagbir Singh suffered a massive heart attack and was admitted to a hospital here on Friday Twotime Olympian Jagbir is in Rourkela for the Hockey India League with Team Gonasika Jagbir who was employed with Air India before retiring a few years back was rushed to the hospital immediately and his condition is reported to be stableThe 59yearold Jagbir Singh who was born in a Sikh family in Agra Uttar Pradesh represented India in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul and then the 1992 Games in Barcelona He played for India between 1985 and 1996 winning a bronze medal in the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul and a silver in the 1990 edition in Beijing In all he earned 175 international capsA top forward of his time Jagbir coached the Indian mens team in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and also worked as a renowned commentator since the 1990s IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/former-india-hockey-coach-jagbir-singh-hospitalised-after-suffering-a-heart-attack-593529.html Fri, 03 Jan 2025 21:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-up-rudras-defeat-soorma-hockey-club-3-0-lead-with-six-points-593348.html Rourkela Jan 2 UP Rudras took on Soorma Hockey Club and beat them 30 in the Hockey India League HIL 202425 at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium here on Thursday This is UP Rudras second successive win in as many matches as they lead the standings with six points Sudeep Chirmako 2 scored early in the game for the UP Rudras while Soorma Hockey Club created multiple opportunities in the second quarter the UP Rudras held firm and Jobanpreet Singh 38 doubled their lead in the third quarter Akashdeep Singh 58 scored in the last quarter to seal the UP Rudras second win in the League UP Rudras took control of the game right from the pushoff forcing Soorma Hockey Club to defend deep In just the second minute Gurjot Singh ventured into the shooting circle and found Lalit Kumar Upadhyay but his shot was deflected to Sudeep Chirmako who unleashed a rocket on the halfturn to score the first goal of the gameSoorma Hockey Club began stringing passes together as the quarter progressed and rebuffed the Rudras advances on their goal Soorma went on to earn two penalty corners as the first quarter came to an end but failed to find the back of the net UP Rudras continued to employ a high press in the second quarter but Soorma grew into the game earning a slew of penalty corners but the Rudras defensive unit led by first rusher Lars Balk and goalkeeper James Mazarelo remained alert to avert any danger to their goalThe Rudras stepped it up a notch in the third quarter putting together incisive passes around Soorma players At the 38minute mark Sudeep Chirmako from the left wing pulled the ball back to Jobanpreet Singh who pushed the ball into goal and doubled UP Rudras lead in the game Soorma Hockey Club began pressing high in search of a goal but were unable to find chinks in UP Rudras defenceSoorma Hockey Club wrestled more possession as the last quarter began and forced the UP Rudras into their own half They showed more patience on the ball to create chances and it wasnt long before Vivek Sagar Prasad found Gurjant Singh in the shooting circle but his shot sailed wide of the postThe UP Rudras earned a couple of penalty corners with five minutes left in the game but failed to capitalise Soon after Hardik Singh initiated a counterattack and passed it to Akashdeep Singh He made it 30 for the UP Rudras with a blistering reverse tomahawkSoorma Hockey Clubs captain Harmanpreet Singh surged ahead in search of a consolation goal and earned a penalty corner but was unable to keep it on target IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-up-rudras-defeat-soorma-hockey-club-3-0-lead-with-six-points-593348.html Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-is-a-great-initiative-for-global-hockey-says-fih-president-tayyab-ikram-593136.html Rourkela Jan 1 After a grand opening on December 28 the Hockey India League HIL 202425 is in full swing with eight mens teams delivering spectacular performances at the iconic Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela Odisha International Hockey Federation FIH President Dato Tayyab Ikram believes the tournament is a great initiative for global hockey Hockey India League is very close to my heart Its an athletecentric initiative Globally we need more platforms that provide athletes with opportunities to perform and receive the recognition they deserve The Hockey India League has a unique organisation and timing scheduled within a window specially sanctioned by the FIH which enables top athletes to come together and compete making it much more than just a hockey competitionI believe this initiative is a great initiative not just for Indian hockey but also for global hockey Significant participation from players along with the involvement of domestic talent will have a profound impact on the sports growth and development said Ikram at a press conference on the sidelines of the HIL in RourkelaWith the mens competition being played at the worlds most iconic hockey stadium in the world Ikram highlighted One of the best hockey venues in the world is in the limelight alongside some incredible hockey action thanks to the leagues global broadcast and coverage The response from Rourkela is no surprisethey are an integral part of the process to understand and recognise what Hockey India League truly isReflecting on an eventful 2024 for the global hockey body Ikram who was reelected as FIH President at the recent FIH Congress in Oman said We started 2024 with the World Cup in Oman which was a dream come true It wasnt just about organising the event but also about welcoming participation from emerging nations like Namibia Kenya Oman and Paraguay alongside hockey powerhouses such as Australia the Netherlands and India It was truly about bridging the gap between these nationsApart from FIH Congress we also held two National Association Summits We also held an engagement process in 2024 which resulted in the Nations Cup 2 Our performance in the Paris Olympics was a significant feature of 2024 We are very happy that the figures are coming out and it was one of the most successful years for global hockey he concludedTalking about FIHs new initiative towards improving the mental health of players through the Global Mental Health Project Ikram said they want to provide the best health to the athletesThis is a new program that has been initiated with my background on the athletes welfare The FIH is fully equipped for the mental health approach We launched this program in our last congress in November So we are going to have different phases How best we can help athletes with their mental health Until now we havent heard much about thisWe are taking our athletes who perform so well and use their time How can we help them Their psychological aspects not everyones home environment is the same Everyones participation in a competition is based on a different mindset So by identifying these things we want to provide the best health to the athletes Mental health is one of the most important things said the FIH president IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-is-a-great-initiative-for-global-hockey-says-fih-president-tayyab-ikram-593136.html Wed, 01 Jan 2025 19:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-soorma-hockey-club-beat-tn-dragons-on-penalty-shootouts-592637.html Rourkela Dec 29 Soorma Hockey Club took on Tamil Nadu Dragons and beat them 11 41 SO clinching the bonus point in penalty shootouts to conclude the second day of action at the Hero Hockey India League 202425 at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela Nathan Ephraums 49 scored the first goal of the game for Tamil Nadu Dragons in the fourth quarter but Gurjant Singh 54 quickly equalised for Soorma Hockey Club ending regulation time as a 11 drawThe game began cautiously with both teams feeling each other out Tamil Nadu Dragons gradually found their rhythm making occasional forays into Soorma territory but failed to produce a shot on target Soormas Gurjant Singh injected some energy into the game picking up the ball on the right wing skipping past his marker and firing a reverse shot but Tamil Nadu Dragons goalkeeper David Harte was up to the task making a crucial save with just four minutes remaining in the quarter In the dying moments of the first quarter Victor Wegnez surged into the shooting circle earning a penalty corner However Nicolas Della Torres flick went wide leaving the deadlock unbrokenTamil Nadu Dragons Thomas Sorsby created the first opportunity of the second quarter by drawing a penalty corner on the counter but Soormas defensive unit held firm to avert the danger Soorma then took control of possession looking to carve out a clear scoring chance and it was Wengez who threatened to score on the reverse with the half coming to a close but his shot sailed wide Tom Craig rushed into the shooting circle from a Tamil Nadu Dragons counter attack and stretched to swat the ball on goal but Soormas Goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch charged down the shot and the second quarter ended goallessThree minutes into the third quarter Blake Govers manufactured a penalty corner for Tamil Nadu Dragons but Jip Janssens flick was off the mark Nicolas Poncelet responded by earning a penalty corner for Soorma and David Harte pulled off a superb save to deny Harmanpreet Singh Both teams remained cautious in possession but failed to create more chances and the third quarter ended 00Soorma created a penalty corner as the last quarter began but Harmanpreets drag flick was swatted away by Thomas Sorsby on the line Soon after Tamil Nadu Dragons went on to earn a penalty corner of their own and Nathan Ephraums pounced on a save by Vincent Vanasch to find the back of the net and finally break the deadlock Soorma surged ahead in search for an equaliser and earned a penalty corner with six minutes left in the game This time it was Gurjant who pounced on a save from David Harte to lift the ball into the net and restore parity for Soorma Hockey Club forcing the game into penalty shootoutsHarmanpreet Singh Victor Wegnez Vivek Sagar Prasad and Nicolas Keenan scored for Soorma Hockey Club while Vincent Vanasch made two saves to win the match in penalty shootoutsI am in a great team we had a close match but I did my part in the penalty shootouts and we walked away with the win Player of the Match Vincent Vanasch said after the match IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-soorma-hockey-club-beat-tn-dragons-on-penalty-shootouts-592637.html Mon, 30 Dec 2024 00:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-delhi-sg-pipers-defeat-gonasika-in-season-opener-592495.html Rourkela Dec 28 Delhi SG Pipers triumphed 42 in the shootout over Gonasika after a 22 draw in the Hockey India League HIL 202425 season got off to a thrilling start at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium here on Saturday Tomas Domene 5 39 scored for Delhi SG Pipers while Struan Walker 26 and Victor Charlet 35 scored for Gonasika in regulation 60 minutes Argentinas Domene scored the first goal of the HIL 202425 season in the fifth minute Delhi SG Pipers captain Jake Whetton won possession high up the pitch and dribbled his way into the Gonasika circle before winning a penalty corner off Dipsan Tirkey Domene rifled his drag flick into goal with goalkeeper Oliver Payne barely getting any time to react Gonasika slowly found their rhythm as the first quarter went on and came close to equalising towards the end Captain Manpreet Singh played a onetwo with Jack Waller but failed to connect with the ball in front of goalGonasika pressed hard for an equaliser and deservedly got it four minutes from the end of the second quarter Araijeet Singh Hundal hit a powerful shot hoping to catch Delhi SG Pipers goalkeeper Benjamin Rennie off at the near post The shot took a slight deflection off Gonasika forward Nikkin Thimmaiahs stick and crashed onto the post Rennie was caught off guard by Scotlands Walker tapping the ball into the empty goalDelhi SG Pipers looked to hit back immediately but Payne made a couple of good saves to ensure both teams went into halftime on level terms Having trailed for most of the first half Gonasika took the lead early five minutes into the third quarter Mandeep Singh and Araijeet Singh Hundal led a Gonasika counter before the latter won a penalty corner Frances Victor Charlets ferocious drag flick evaded goalkeeper Pawan and Jarmanpreet Singh at the post sparking wild celebrations from the Gonasika playersHowever Gonasikas lead lasted only four minutes Walker received a fiveminute suspension soon after for a poor foul and Delhi SG Pipers capitalised upon their numerical advantage Ky Willott got the ball on the goalline and the Australian played an inchperfect cutback which Domene converted with easeDomene could have completed his hattrick in the final minute of the third quarter from a penalty corner However Payne saved Domenes drag flick before denying Sumit Kumar from the rebound Payne was in imperious form as he pulled off two stunning saves midway through the fourth quarter to deny Delhi SG Pipers the lead A minute later Domene once again came close to completing his hattrick but his dragflick cannoned off the postGonasika and Delhi SG Pipers went all in searching for a late winner but both goalkeepers stood firm as the match ended 22 In the penalty shootout Delhi SG Pipers converted four of their five attempts to secure the victory Jake Whetton Tomas Domene Sourabh Anand Kushwaha and Raj Kumar Pal converted successfully for Delhi SG PipersIn the second match of the HIL 202425 Hyderabad Toofans will play Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers before Soorma Hockey Club take on Tamil Nadu Dragons in the second match on Sunday IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-delhi-sg-pipers-defeat-gonasika-in-season-opener-592495.html Sun, 29 Dec 2024 00:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/olympic-silver-medallist-aran-zalewski-to-captain-kalinga-lancers-in-hil-592254.html Rourkela Dec 27 Kalinga Lancers have announced Tokyo Olympics silver medallist and threetime Olympian Aran Zalewski as their captain The former cocaptain of the Kookaburras brings a wealth of experience having played a pivotal role in the Australian hockey teams success The recently retired Australian captain will assume charge of the team effective immediately as they prepare for their inaugural game in the Hockey League against UP Rudras on December 30The Kalinga Lancers now owned by Vedanta showcase an impressive combination of seasoned players like Thierry Brinkman and Alexander Hendrickx alongside rising Indian talents such as Krishan Pathak Rosan Kujur and Sanjay The team will be coached by German maestro Valentin AltenburgAnnouncing their captain Vedanta Kalinga Lancers coach Valentin Altenburg said With a squad packed with superstars and natural leaders selecting a captain is a challenge any coach would love to have Arans exceptional mastery of the game speaks for itself and his leadership since becoming cocaptain of the Australian team in 2018 has been nothing short of inspiring While our squad boasts a wealth of experience and incredible potential we believe Aran is the perfect fit to lead this talented group as we look to build on Odishas proud legacy in hockey and are focused on bringing home the titleAran expressed his delight in taking up the role of Kalinga Lancers captain Im truly grateful for the opportunity the team has given me We have an incredible mix of talent and its an honor to share the dressing room with players like Thierry Krishan Sanjay and the younger boys Representing Bhubaneswars team is a matter of immense pride especially since Odisha is the heartbeat of hockey in India Were all eager and ready to take charge on the field and give our best for the fans and the legacy of this great stateThe team gathered in Bhubaneswar last week where in the presence of all 16 Indian players from the squad Kalinga Lancers unveiled their new jersey anthem and mascot The home jersey showcases a striking blend of blue and green while the away jersey retains the vibrant orange and whiteThe new design thoughtfully integrates elements of history art geography and progress paying homage to Odishas rich heritage while reflecting its forwardlooking aspirationsSquadDefenders Sanjay Mandeep Mor Alexander Hendrickx Arthur Van Doren Antoine Kina Partap Lakra Sushil Dhanwar Rohit KulluMidfielders Aran Zalewski Moriangthem Rabichandra Enrique Gonzalez Mukesh Toppo Rosan Kujur Nicholas BandurakForwards Boby Singh Dhami Dilpreet Singh Thierry Brinkman Angad Bir Singh Roshan Minz Gursahibjit Singh Deepak PradhanGoalkeepers Krishan Pathak Tobias ReynoldsCotterill Sahil Kumar Nayak IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/olympic-silver-medallist-aran-zalewski-to-captain-kalinga-lancers-in-hil-592254.html Fri, 27 Dec 2024 17:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/samuel-ward-man-with-the-mask-gearing-up-for-hockey-india-league-591974.html New Delhi Dec 25 Samuel Ward the 33yearold England striker known as the man with the mask is all set to embark on an exciting new chapter in his illustrious hockey career Overcoming a lifealtering injury in 2019 Ward has emerged as a symbol of grit and resilience and his journey to the upcoming Hockey India League HIL 292425 season with the UP Rudras is nothing short of inspiring The HIL set to commence on December 28 marks Wards maiden foray into the league The Lucknowbased UP Rudras captained by Indian midfielder Hardik Singh have assembled a formidable squad featuring a mix of seasoned players and emerging talentSpeaking about his upcoming debut in the HIL Ward expressed excitement about joining forces with stalwarts like Lalit Kumar Upadhyay Simranjeet Singh Lars Balk and Kane Russell alongside young talents like Priyobarta Talem and Gurjot SinghOh Im very excited I think we have an incredible team Players like Hardik Kashdeep and Lalit stand out and thats without even mentioning international talents like Lars Balk and Flores Its shaping up to be an exciting time for us all he saidWards story is one of unparalleled determination During the Tokyo Olympic Qualifiers in November 2019 he suffered a horrific injury while playing for Great Britain A wayward shot from a teammate struck him on the side of his face resulting in seven or eight fractures and a torn retina The damage left Ward with permanent loss of central vision in his left eye and required major reconstructive surgeryBack in November 2019 about five years ago I was struck in the face by a ball while standing in front of the goal during a game It was my teammates shot and it hit me on the side of my face I ended up with eight facial fractures and had to undergo major surgery to rebuild my face I also lost about 6070 of the vision in my left eye because the ball sliced my retina in half It was a tough time and I was told I might never play again But I was determined to prove people wrong and now I wear the mask for protectionI was told I probably wouldnt play again But when someone says that you want to prove them wrong recalled Sam WardAgainst all odds Ward returned to the field donning a protective mask that has since become his signature Wards mask is not just a piece of equipmentits a symbol of his journey Spectators unfamiliar with hockey might wonder why he wears it but for Ward its a reminder of the challenges he has overcomeI wear the mask for protection he explained Its a small price to pay to be back on the field doing what I loveOne of the unique aspects of the HIL is the opportunity it provides players from different nations to come together as a team For Ward the transition from playing against some of his new teammates on the international stage to forming bonds with them off the field has been seamless We all have a mutual love for hockey and that makes it easy to create connections Ward said The Indian boys and all the foreigners are amazing guys Its been a lot of fun so far and weve already started building those bonds that will help us on the fieldWard represented Great Britain in the Paris Olympics where his team was eliminated by India in the quarterfinals Reflecting on the experience he praised the Indian sides performance The Olympics are always incredible Ive been fortunate to attend three so far and each one is special While I dont have the medal I hoped for the journey is still an honour That quarterfinal against India was a big game and they were outstanding India fought hard stayed united and performed brilliantly They were one of the strongest sides in the tournament this yearWard believes leagues like the HIL are crucial for the growth of hockey providing young players with opportunities to develop their skills alongside international stars The strength and depth of young Indian players are impressive he said Playing with more internationals will only make their game betterIts been impressive to see the talent among the young Indian players Theyre exceptional Players like Mammi Zaid and Sardar whos a great flicker showcase the depth of hockey here Playing alongside international players will only help them grow and improve furtherThe biggest challenge in leagues like the HIL is overcoming language barriers and ensuring that everyone is on the same page Building team bonds and creating good communication are key Weve already been having fun and getting to know each other which helps strengthen the team For example last night they threw cake in my faceits all part of building those special memories and connections Ward concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/samuel-ward-man-with-the-mask-gearing-up-for-hockey-india-league-591974.html Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/playing-in-hil-again-is-thrilling-for-me-says-bengal-tigers-rupinder-pal-singh-591524.html New Delhi Dec 23 Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers made a significant addition to their squad by acquiring Rupinder Pal Singh in the Hockey India League HIL auction for Rs 125 lakhs earlier this year The 34yearold drag flicker known for his remarkable goalscoring ability returns to the league with an impressive record of 234 goals in 223 appearances Rupinder who last played in the historic bronze medal match against Germany at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and ended a 42year drought for an Olympic medal brings a wealth of experience and skill to the Bengal Tigers He was a star performer for the Delhi Waveriders in the previous edition of the HIL and his return is eagerly anticipated by fans and teammates alikePlaying in the Hockey India League again is truly thrilling for me After spending years with international teams and facing the best in the world to be back on the turf alongside familiar teammates and rising stars is a feeling I cant describe This time Im fortunate to play with players like Jugraj Singh Abhishek and Sukhjeet some I havent had the chance to play alongside at the international level Its a huge opportunity for me to share the field with them and to be back in the action after so long Rupinder sharedThe Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers have crafted a formidable lineup boasting the dynamic pairing of Abhishek and Sukhjeet Singh alongside the prolific Belgian forward Florent van Aubel In defence Rupinder will be joined by fellow dragflicker Jugraj Singh strengthening the teams already potent goalscoring unitIve always believed that competition within the league playing against top players from across the world pushes us to improve The teams are packed with exceptional talent including players from the national team and foreign internationals like Belgian forward Florent van AubelI am looking forward to playing against the likes of Harmanpreet and Gurinder as well The excitement of seeing the best players in action will be immense The Hockey India League is where we all come together and its an exciting platform for the next generation of hockey he signed off IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/playing-in-hil-again-is-thrilling-for-me-says-bengal-tigers-rupinder-pal-singh-591524.html Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-is-going-to-be-a-nursery-for-youngsters-sreejesh-591333.html New Delhi Dec 21 Former India hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh feels that the relaunch of the Hockey India League HIL will be a nursery for youngsters to earn a callup for the national team The HIL 202425 will feature eight mens teams and six womens teams marking the first time a standalone womens league will run concurrently with the mens competition The pool for both the Indian mens and womens will see the additions of newcomers in the futureSreejesh who retired after the Paris Olympics with more than a decadelong experience in the international circuit said the HIL experience will prove as a stepping stone for rookie players with exposure to Indian and international starsSeriously its going to be a nursery for them youngsters They can learn anything They can learn everything from this tournament from starting from you see the pressure handling because you are playing in front of a very big crowd And second thing is like you are in a short span of time youre playing a lot of matches more than 10 more than 12 matches you are playing Or if you are getting into the finals I mean around 16 matches you are playing Sreejesh told IANSThen after that when it comes to a team you are learning from the seniors or from the foreigners you are learning about the team management how you are motivating the players how we are communicating during a team meeting or how we are taking initiative in a training session or how are you preparing yourself for a match or how are you cooling down warm down after a match So you can learn everything here And most importantly you mature as a player you mature as an international player Its not for beginners but for anyone Even the players those who are playing at the international level or so they can learn from the seniors those who are part of this tournament he addedDespite not playing in the HIL Sreejesh is yet closely involved with the tournament as the director and mentor of the Delhi SG Pipers the franchise that will have participation in both mens and womens editions of the tournament to be played in Rourkela and Ranchi from December 28Commenting on the mens teams squad combination the 36yearold expressed confidence in his former India teammates along with his junior mens team players to do the job for the franchiseSee we got Shamsher Jarmanpreet Raju Raj Kumar Pal from the last Olympics and Varun Kumar definitely from the 2021 Olympic Games who got the flavour of the Olympics medal So they are excited to be here I believe that they can guide youngsters from my junior team the players from the under21 Rohit Ankit and Dilraj So these players can learn from these seniors first of all he saidDelhi SG Pipers what talented youngsters here in this team Good team and good speed players I think with a director post or you can say its a mentor post my duty is to take this team into their best performance I just keep on telling my players that just enjoy this tournament because its not less than an international match You are playing against the top players of the world You are playing alongside the best players in the world So you can learn a lot of things You can try a lot of things And this is the platform where you can get direct tickets to the national team So just to enjoy this period is really important So as a director Im also learning a lot of things from this So its going to be a new start for it in hockey Sreejesh addedWith Sreejesh moved on to a coaching role with the mens junior team post international retirement the former goalkeeper heaps high praise on Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Suraj Karkera for continuing the legacy left behind by himSee I think its a big opportunity for all of them I mean Pathak and Suraj are there definitely because they joined me after 2016 Junior World Cup From there they were there with me for almost eight years So I have known these guys from childhood till now they are doing a wonderful job They are great goalkeepers Simultaneously Pawan is doing good and Mohith who played the last Junior World Cup they are doing great jobs They are pushing Suraj and Pathak to the next levelThe healthy competition happening these four is going to help Indian hockey or Indian goalkeeping to get into the next level So I think I dont mind part I set a level So now its their duty to push the level to the higher level so that the upcoming players will trust the goalkeeping in a better way And I hope these people will not create any situation to miss me on the field Sreejesh concludedWatch the Hockey India League from December 28 onwards at 730 PM IST live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD amp HD Sony Sports Ten 3 SD amp HD Hindi Sony Sports Ten 4 SD amp HD Tamil amp Telugu IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-is-going-to-be-a-nursery-for-youngsters-sreejesh-591333.html Sat, 21 Dec 2024 23:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-excited-to-play-for-defending-champions-kalinga-lacers-says-defender-sanjay-591043.html New Delhi Dec 20 India and Kalinga Lancers defender Sanjay Rana is excited to play for the defending champions in the upcoming Hockey India League HIL 202425 season commencing on December 28 Sanjay who has risen through the ranks of the junior team has become a consistent feature in the Indian mens hockey team in the recent years The 2024 has been an instrumental year for the defender as he went on to win the highest accolade of his career the bronze medal in the Paris Olympics along with the title finish at the Asian Champions Trophy in China He was also part of the team that won the gold medal in the Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou ChinaThe 23yearold who first tasted success with a silver medal in the Youth Olympic Games 2018 has established himself as a reckoning force among Indias strong defence lineup consisting of captain Harmanpreet Singh Amit Rohidas and Jarmanpreet SinghIm very excited to play my first HIL season with defending champions Kalinga Lancers The team has a good combination of Indian international and junior players Sanjay told IANS on the sidelines of the Kalinga Lancers jersey launch event in Bhubaneswar on ThursdayRecalling the historic moment of winning the second consecutive Olympic bronze medal in Paris earlier this year Sanjay termed it a onceinalifetime moment that can only be matched with another medal in the quadrennial eventIt was my first Olympics and I was a junior player in the team and got to learn a lot from senior players The match against Great Britain quarterfinal was a tough one with one player down but everyone played well and won the match It was my dream to win an Olympic medal for my country and that happiness wont be matched till we get another medal he remarkedWhen asked about his preparations for the HIL Sanjay detailed the hard work he has put in with the Indian team following the home matches against New Zealand in late OctoberWe had a camp after the New Zealand series and also toured Belgium and the Netherlands from which we returned on December 7 It was a good experience and we had highintensity matches there Im fully fit and excited to play the 23yearold saidAfter the HIL Ill gear up for the FIH Pro League and Asia Cup next year Sanjay added on his goal for the 2025 season IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-excited-to-play-for-defending-champions-kalinga-lacers-says-defender-sanjay-591043.html Fri, 20 Dec 2024 15:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-sara-ali-khan-king-to-headline-star-studded-opening-ceremony-591073.html New Delhi Dec 20 The muchawaited Hockey India League HIL 202425 is set to return in grand style beginning with an extravagant opening ceremony at the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela scheduled to take place ahead of the opening match on December 28 The event which promises to be a celebration of sport entertainment and cuttingedge technology will feature dazzling performances from top Indian celebrities under the vibrant theme Hockey ka Jashn Bollywood sensation Sara Ali Khan and famous music artist King will headline the evening with their electrifying performances The internationally acclaimed Shiamak Davar Dance Troupe will bring the stage to life with dynamic choreography creating a highenergy atmosphere that will set the tone for the exciting HIL season ahead A standout feature of the night will be the innovative anamorphic floor projection mapping offering a visually immersive experience for fans with 3D illusions projected on the stadium floorIn an effort to bring fans closer to the action tickets to both the opening ceremony and all HIL 202425 matches will be free for spectators in Rourkela This initiative aims to make the league more accessible to fans across the country ensuring they can witness the worldclass sporting spectacle liveDilip Tirkey chairperson Hockey India League said Rourkela is a city with a deep love for hockey and its only fitting that we launch the league with such a grand celebration hereBhola Nath Singh member of the Hockey India League HIL Governing Committee expressed his excitement about the opening ceremony stating This years opening ceremony is set to be unlike anything we have ever done before We wanted to make it a true festival of hockey blending entertainment and innovation in a way that excites fans and brings the sport closer to them From Sara Ali Khan and Kings performances to the cuttingedge visual effects we are confident this event will set the stage for an unforgettable season of hockeyThe opening ceremony will not only celebrate the sport but also the fans who have been eagerly awaiting the return of HIL We are thrilled to invite everyone to experience this extraordinary event he addedFans in attendance will also have the opportunity to engage in interactive experiences such as greenscreen photo booths where they can create personalised hockeythemed memorabilia to take home as souvenirs from the eventThe HIL 202425 opening ceremony will be broadcast live on DD Sports and other channels on Doordarshan Network Fans can also catch the live stream on Prasar Bharatis new OTT platform Waves For those tuning in via the Sony Network matches will be available on Sony Ten 1 English Sony Ten 3 Hindi and Sony Ten 4 Tamil and Telugu in both SD and HD Additionally the action will be streamed live on Sony LIV IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-sara-ali-khan-king-to-headline-star-studded-opening-ceremony-591073.html Fri, 20 Dec 2024 17:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/soorma-hockey-club-commences-training-camp-ahead-of-hil-590802.html Chandigarh Dec 19 Soorma Hockey Club commenced its training camp here at the Sector 42 Sports Complex gearing up for the muchanticipated return of the Hockey India League scheduled to unfold from December 28 to February 1 2025 The camp serves as a vital phase for building strategies team cohesion and synchronising playing styles Speaking about the progress of the camp Sardar Singh the teams coach and mentor emphasised its value in building camaraderie and understanding among the playersThis camp is crucial for getting the players familiar with each other especially as some have not played together before Our goal is to ensure coordination on the field and create a strong united team dynamic he saidThe preseason camp now features both Indian and international players The Indian contingent that joined on December 14 includes national team captain and double Olympic bronze medallist Harmanpreet Singh and the likes of Vivek Sagar Prasad Gurjant Singh Maninder Singh Sunit Lakra and Mohit HSHarmanpreet Singh expressed his excitement about the upcoming league and the teams enhanced preparations We are all very excited to represent Soorma Hockey Club its especially meaningful for us to have the camp in Chandigarh a region that we represent as Soorma Hockey Club With the foreign players joining us the energy has gotten even better and we hope to channel that into our performances he remarkedThe international stars who joined the camp on Wednesday bring a wealth of experience and diverse playing styles These include Australian dragflicker Jeremy Hayward Belgiums Nicolas Poncelet and Victor WegnezThe rest of the international contingent including South African star Dayaan Cassiem Belgiums Olympic gold medalwinning goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch Dutch strikers Boris Burkhardt and Argentine midfielder Nicolas Della Torre are set to join in the days to followSoorma Hockey Club will begin their inaugural campaign on December 29 against Tamil Nadu Dragons in Rourkela IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/soorma-hockey-club-commences-training-camp-ahead-of-hil-590802.html Thu, 19 Dec 2024 14:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-announce-free-tickets-for-fans-in-ranchi-and-rourkela-590388.html New Delhi Dec 17 In a major initiative aimed at growing the reach of hockey Hockey India has announced that all tickets for the upcoming Hero Hockey India League HIL 202425 will be free of cost for fans attending matches in Ranchi and Rourkela This move is part of Hockey Indias vision to take the sport to every corner of the country and make it more accessible to its passionate supporters By foregoing revenue from ticket sales Hockey India aims to build a stronger connection between the sport and its passionate supporters encouraging more people to experience the thrill of live hockeyHockey India League HIL Governing committee chairperson Dilip Tirkey shared his excitement saying This is a historic moment for hockey in India By offering free tickets we are ensuring that everyone regardless of financial status has the opportunity to experience live hockey at its best Our goal is to bring the sport closer to the fans and inspire a new generation of players and supporters Ranchi and Rourkela are cities with a rich hockey heritage and we want to fill the stadiums with their energy and passionHockey India League HIL governing committee member Bhola Nath Singh echoed similar sentiments stating Our fans are at the heart of everything we do This initiative to offer free tickets is our way of showing appreciation for their unwavering support We want to ensure that every seat in Ranchi and Rourkela is filled with fans cheering on their favourite teamsHe continued The Hockey India League is more than just a tournamentit is a celebration of the sport one can call it HockeyKaJashn By making it free for all we are reinforcing our commitment to making hockey the peoples game and we hope this initiative will create lifelong memories for the fans who come to watchThis years Hockey India League will showcase an impressive roster of eight mens teams and four womens teams both leagues offering fastpaced exciting games through their newly revamped formats The mens league kicks off on December 28 in Rourkela at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium with the grand finale scheduled to take place on February 1 2025Meanwhile the womens league begins on January 12 2025 in Ranchis Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Astro Turf Stadium with the final slated for January 26 promising a thrilling competition from start to finish Also to expand the leagues reach select mens and womens matches will be held at alternate venues bringing the unique excitement of the Hero HIL to different regionsNotably free tickets are now available on Ticketgenies web portal httpsticketgenieinEventherohockeyindialeague202425 and app ensuring that the excitement of worldclass hockey is accessible to all IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-announce-free-tickets-for-fans-in-ranchi-and-rourkela-590388.html Tue, 17 Dec 2024 14:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/ashley-hoffman-looking-forward-to-learning-hindi-building-friendships-in-hil-590173.html New Delhi Dec 16 USA womens team defender Ashley Hoffman is excited to be part of the Hockey India League HIL 202425 season after being signed by Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for Rs 10 lakh The 28yearold feels lucky to be playing in India after replacing Irelands Sarah Hawkshaw in the Bengal squad Ashley went unsold in the HIL auction last month but she was destined to play in India and experience the love and affection of the countrys passionate fansIm extremely excited counting down the days actually until we leave for India I think its such a cool opportunity to learn as a person and a hockey player and experience something completely new she told IANS in an exclusive conversationOf course it was disappointing to lose the opportunity that I wanted to experience India and to play with Indian players And so that made the call that I got a couple days later even more sweet and me appreciated that much more because I got to feel how disappointed I was in the beginning So yeah now Im just really excited that it worked out in the end Ashley elaborated on her feelings after going unsold in the HIL auctionWith Indian stars Vandana Katariya Udita and Lalremsiami set to be her teammates Ashley is keen to build great friendships and learn from fellow players during her stay in IndiaExtremely lucky to play alongside these players that have a wealth of international experience USA hockey bubble is quite small so I am going to take as much knowledge that I can gain from these players and coaches as I can in my experience in India And more than that just to get to know these players as people I think that is what Im most looking forward to is to establish some friendships and relationships along the way and have a really fun timeAnd I always have the most fun when were competing really really hard together So of course Im excited to play with such good players and I hope that we can do very well in the tournament she addedTalking about the launch of the womens edition of the HIL Ashley sees it as an opportunity for the Indian womens team to excel on the international stage in the futureYeah definitely I think you see that the countries that have popular leagues are excelling internationally and you have players travelling from all over the world to the best players travelling all over the world to play in those leagues So it not only helps the country where its hosted but it helps the players play alongside and learn from some of the other best players of the world So I think that this is going to help the Indian womens team do well for years to comeI think the investment is huge for India and I can only hope that the US looks at this and tries to see the value and almost replicate and we create a league in the US Thats great she remarkedApart from gaining valuable hockey knowledge the defender is also looking forward to learning Hindi and experiencing Indian food to know her teammates better and establish a personal touch with themFirst off I would love to learn how to say hello How are you Little things in Hindi or the language that the teammates will speak in India because I think thats super important when you go to a country and Ill try to learn more about the food about the way that they play and how they see the game what presses that they like to do or different tactics Ashley saidI think theres a wealth of knowledge that I will be able to take from this experience both on and off the field and I just hope to be a sponge in the month of January to take it all in and then equally share my experiences and build relationships with my teammates in that way she addedWhen asked about the ardent Indian fans Ashley didnt shy away from calling India a special place to play hockey due to massive home support for the gameAbsolutely I am so looking forward to experiencing Indias love for hockey their fans excitement and the pace of the game Its like no other place in the world when it comes to hockey matches so I am really looking forward to just feeling the buzz the energy of everyone in the hockey world over in India Yeah I hope to play some really exciting games of hockey she concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/ashley-hoffman-looking-forward-to-learning-hindi-building-friendships-in-hil-590173.html Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/womens-jr-asia-cup-defending-champ-india-prevail-3-1-over-japan-reach-final-589812.html Muscat Oman Dec 14 India defeated Japan 31 to enter the final of the Womens Junior Asia Cup as they eye to defend their title Mumtaz Khan 4 Sakshi Rana 5 and Deepika 13 bagged early goals for India in their victory Japans Niko Maruyama 23 scored her sides only goal but couldnt make a comeback in time to win the tie India made a dominant start in the first quarter and bagged three goals to get an early advantageThe first goal came after a defensive error by the Japanese defence which was capitalised by Mumtaz Khan in the fourth minute Moments later Sakshi Rana fired a powerful shot towards the goal from a distance and managed to beat the keeperTowards the end of the first quarter Beauty Dungdung was brought down by the Japanese goalkeeper in the shooting circle and India was given a penalty stroke The leading goalscorer of the tournament Deepika stepped up and scored to give India a sizable lead early onJapan fought back in the second quarter and managed to reduce the deficit courtesy of a goal from Niko Maruyama in the 23rd minute Japan did well with its quick attacks and tried to catch the Indian defence offguard and succeeded onceBoth sides fought hard in the third quarter but couldnt find a goal Japan gradually started dominating the play but India had the upper hand on the scorecard and used it to its full advantageJapan started the fourth quarter aggressively as India stayed on the back foot and protected their goal In the 48th minute Japan received a penalty corner which almost made it into the Indian goal but captain Jyoti Singh made a heroic goalline save to keep Indias lead intact Japan earned two late penalty corners as well but Indias defence was up to the task and ensured they see out a 31 winIndia will either face China or Korea in the final at 2030 IST on Sunday IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/womens-jr-asia-cup-defending-champ-india-prevail-3-1-over-japan-reach-final-589812.html Sat, 14 Dec 2024 21:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-its-a-proud-moment-for-me-to-lead-the-delhi-team-says-shamsher-singh-589474.html New Delhi Dec 13 Indian hockey star Shamsher Singh is excited about the muchanticipated return of the Hockey India League HIL set to commence its sixth season on December 28 after a hiatus of seven years Shamsher a vital member of the Indian hockey team that clinched a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 has been named cocaptain of the Delhi SG Pipers alongside Australias decorated forward Jacob Whetton With the leagues revival the stakes are high for Indian hockey as it seeks to further strengthen its global presence and nurture talent through an international platformReflecting on his appointment as cocaptain Shamsher said Its a proud moment for me to lead the Delhi SG Pipers The trust shown in me is significant and Im ready to take on this responsibility I will give my 100 to ensure we bond as a team and perform wellThe experienced forward who has played under highpressure situations including the Olympics credited the mentorship of former Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh now serving as the teams mentor Sreejesh is our mentor it is a special thing that happens for us because we have played together If your teams mentor is someone who has played with you the excitement increasesIt is a very special moment for us to play with the team because we know Sreejesh very well and he knows us very well Whatever problem we have he has guided us very effectively This time too we hope that we will coordinate well and do well for the teamOne of the highlights of leagues like HIL is the opportunity to share the field with international players For Shamsher this crosscultural exchange is invaluable Playing with foreign players is a great experience They have a different culture and we also have a different culture so you get to learn a lot from this You learn about which player is comfortable in which position and the mentality of different countries because there are subtle changes in everyone said Shamsher who was part of the Indian teams that won bronze medals in the 2020 Tokyo and Paris Olympic GamesShamsher emphasised the importance of building camaraderie off the field to strengthen onfield performance If your bonding is good off the field it reflects in the matches and players naturally support each other during crucial momentsHILs return is poised to significantly impact Indian hockey particularly for young players and women The youngsters who will play in our league will get a lot of benefits in the future This is a very good movement for Indian Hockey and it will be very beneficial in the long runWhen youngsters come to the league they learn a lot Foreign players will also come and our senior players like Harmanpreet Singh Jarmanpreet Singh our mentor Sreejesh Bhai and the coach they too will learn from everyoneTheir confidence level increases and they start believing If we can play in this league we can also play for the Indian team This builds their mentality and strengthens their mindsetThe inaugural season of the Womens Hockey India League commencing on January 12 is another milestone Womens hockey will benefit immensely They will learn how international players handle pressure celebrate victories and recover from defeats he addedIndian hockey is currently navigating a transition phase with new players stepping up after the Paris Olympics Shamsher expressed confidence in the seamless integration of young talentThe transition phase is very good The players who are coming into the team are from our core group of 40 They are not entirely newthey have been attending camps with us since the Paris Olympics They were already practising with us and are now getting the opportunity to play he said We recently won the Asian Championship and the Germany Series despite many changes The new players are performing very well and there is no gap between the old and new players because they have been a part of the core groupShamsher also acknowledged the challenge of replacing legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh but lauded Krishan Bahadur Pathak for stepping into the role Pathak has been playing alongside Sreejesh for six years and his experience is invaluable Hes performed brilliantly in recent games and Im confident he will continue to excelThe Delhi SG Pipers led by Shamsher and Whetton will be a key contender in the mens league which features eight teams The leagues first phase will run from December 28 to January 18 with all teams playing each other once The second phase begins on January 19 with teams divided into two pools for further matchesThe womens league featuring four teams will kick off on January 12 The opening match between the Delhi SG Pipers and Odisha Warriors will take place at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Astro Turf Stadium in RanchiThe return of HIL after seven years is a pivotal moment for Indian hockey With top players seasoned mentors and enthusiastic young talent the league promises to elevate the sports profile in the countryFor Shamsher Singh leading the Delhi SG Pipers is not just an honour but also an opportunity to inspire the next generation of players As he prepares to take the field he carries the hopes of a nation eager to see Indian hockey reach greater heights IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-its-a-proud-moment-for-me-to-lead-the-delhi-team-says-shamsher-singh-589474.html Fri, 13 Dec 2024 19:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-netherlands-women-dominate-germany-england-men-pull-off-comeback-win-589048.html Santiago del Estero Argentina Dec 12 The Netherlands women picked up their first win of the new FIH Pro League season in dominant fashion with a 61 thrashing of Germany Frederique Malta tallied twice picking up her 100th goal for the Oranje With less than 24 hours of rest since falling to Argentina in shootouts Germany was faced with the task of taking on the reigning Pro League champion Netherlands Despite only finding brief moments of possession Germany kept the Netherlands off the board in the first quarterGood chances for the Oranje included a backhand shot by Freeke Moes that flew just over the crossover a Pien Dicke shot saved by Germanys Nathalie Kubalski and a penalty corner by Jansen that was blocked by the Germany defenseThe tension finally broke for the Netherlands a minute and a half into the second quarter when Moes nailed a backhand shot past Kubalski Down 10 Germany began piecing together more bits of possession to the frustration of the Oranje It looked like neither team would score as the quarter drew to a close but in the final seconds Frederique Malta pulled right around the goalkeeper to increase the Netherlands lead to 20Germany won their first set piece opportunity seven minutes into the second half and on the subsequently awarded penalty corner won a video referral for a penalty stroke In a critical moment the attempt from Stine Kurz was shut down by Anne Veenendal The missed opportunity only fueled the fire for the Netherlands who continued to earn penalty corner chances and saw a goal from Jansen in the 41st minuteContinuing with a dominant attack in the fourth the Netherlands earned another set piece chance in the 49th minute Despite a lessthanideal reception at the top the chance worked out with Jansen sending the ball to the bottom right corner Malta then tallied her 100th goal off a penalty stroke attempt the next minute giving the Netherlands a solid 50 leadIn 52nd minute Germany found a consolation goal off a penalty corner straight shot by Lisa Nolte In retaliation Moes dribbled past the German defensive line and nailed a clean reverse shot for their sixth and final goal of the matchOn the other hand Ireland men nearly pulled off an upset over England in their first Pro League match of the 202425 season but were unable to withstand a fourthquarter surge and the score were levelled 33 England sent the match into shootouts where they won 32Adam Walker in his senior debut opened up the scoring for Ireland with a powerful drag flick off of a penalty corner won in the fourth minute As the two teams settled in both sides saw some offensive chances getting shut down each time With two minutes remaining in the first Englands James Mazarelo shut down two shots off an Ireland set piece opportunityIreland needed just 35 seconds of the second frame to double their lead A fast break up the field materialised into a onetime reverse chip into the cage from Jonathan Lynch The second half of the frame was characterised by England on the attack and James Milliken making clutch saves in net for Ireland In the 26th minute Englands Stuart Rushmere sent a penalty corner flick out wide and another set piece chance sent in by Sam Ward was snuffed by MillikenIreland substituted Luke Roleston in goal to start the third and he performed up to par with his firsthalf counterpart England kept up their tempo but continued to be shut down by the Ireland defense as well as failed to capitalise on their chances including a beautifully executed pass up to an unmarked Sam Ward which saw no result Despite all their possession England trailed 20 heading into the final frameThe fourth quarter had no shortage of action England finally caught their break when a penalty corner was converted by James Albery on the rebound With 10 minutes remaining an Ireland set piece was blocked on the line by Thomas Sorsby preventing the goal but conceding a penalty stroke which was made by Cole LeeWith 7 minutes to score two goals England pulled their goalkeeper to enjoy an extra field player The move paid off as Nicholas Park dribbled baseline and sent the ball center where Jack Waller guided it into the cage With zip in their step England tallied another not one minute later finished by Zachary Wallace to tie the match 33 before the final hooterDaragh Walsh got the shootouts started for Ireland making good on his attempt Englands Albery kept it tied with a reverse shot then Walker was denied by Mazarelo and Conor Williamson faced the same fate from Roleston Lynch notched a second for Ireland but Stuart Rushmere followed up for England putting the score at 22 after three attemptsEverything stayed even after the fourth round when C Empey and Jack Waller missed for Ireland and England respectively The fifth round was the final as Irelands A Empey was shut down and Zach Wallace made it to give England the shootout victory IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-netherlands-women-dominate-germany-england-men-pull-off-comeback-win-589048.html Thu, 12 Dec 2024 14:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/dreamt-of-playing-in-a-league-like-hil-says-bengal-tigers-vandana-katariya-588853.html Bengaluru Dec 11 At the turn of the century Vandana Katariya was just a kid in Roshnabad who wanted nothing more than to play hockey without any societal hindrances After an arduous journey of close to 15 years in the Indian Womens Hockey Team Vandana is on the verge of being a significant part of history as she readies herself to take the field for Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers in the inaugural Womens Hockey India League early next yearIt is a very big thing for us that the Womens HIL is finally starting There is a buzz in camp as all players are looking forward to enjoying this experience and playing hockey at a high level We are all hoping that the Womens HIL will be a big success and garner as much attention as the Mens HIL And we are beyond excited and cannot thank Hockey India enough for making this happen she expressedVandana is a veteran of 317 appearances for the Indian Womens Hockey Team and has scored 158 goals during this course She was also an integral part of the team that despite all odds finished fourth at the Tokyo 2022 Olympics Yet the thought of playing in the HIL has ignited a fire in her belly and Vandana credits this to the impact the HIL has had on the Indian mens hockey teamIn the previous editions the Mens team got a chance to mingle with international players raise their confidence levels and as everyone can see it has helped the team immensely and they are getting medals on a consistent basis now I expect the same effect when the Womens HIL begins with four teams this year This will be a good opportunity for players who could not make the cut for the National Camp to showcase their potential and grow under different coaches It will also help strengthen the conveyor belt of talent coming into the Indian Womens Hockey Team Vandana explainedWhen the HIL was running for the Men previously I used to watch those matches and dream that I would one day play in a league like this I cannot believe it is a reality now and we are just over a month away from starting the league The Womens Team is looking at it as an opportunity to showcase our potential Playing with the best players in the world will undoubtedly improve our performance and confidence she addedIn addition to Vandana Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers have a strong Indian core comprising Udita Lalremsiami Beauty Dungdung Mahima Choudhary and Sushila Chanu She will also share the dressing room with Olympic Bronze medallist Fiona Crackles and Grace Stewart a three time Olympian from Australia They also have a few young Indian prospects on the team like Jyothi Edula Mumuni Das and LalrinpuiiThe Womens HIL is a chance for me to show my capabilities so that I can maintain my place in the Indian Team but as a forward I will concentrate equally on building good chemistry with all the players on the team The League is also bound to take a few players out of their shells and make them more comfortable TThis experience will also shed light on areas for improvement for all players both international and Indian It will also be interesting to play against teammates who have known you for years and are aware of all your habits But most importantly we will look to put on a good team performance improve throughout the season and do our best to win the league the 32 year old signed off IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/dreamt-of-playing-in-a-league-like-hil-says-bengal-tigers-vandana-katariya-588853.html Wed, 11 Dec 2024 13:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-tom-boon-hat-trick-propels-belgian-men-to-victory-over-germany-588592.html Amsterdam Netherlands Dec 9 Striker and penalty corner expert Tom Boon struck a fine hattrick as Belgium overcame Olympic silver medallist Germany 63 as the first stage of the new FIH Hockey Pro League season came to an end here on Monday The Red Lions produced a dominant secondhalf performance to overcome Germany to finish the stage on top of the table with eight points Belgium snuffed the life out of Germany with a purple patch in the fourth quarter claiming a dominant 63 win according to a report on the FIH websiteThe teams had to wrestle for space in a cagey first quarter Belgium started the better team opening the scoring in the fifth minute from a quick free hit the deflection off a German stick 30 yards out travelling straight to William Ghislain in front of the goal who slotted in the opener There were a couple of circle entries at both ends before Tom Boon stretched Belgiums lead with a wellstruck field goal in the 15th minuteGermany stepped up in the second quarter and pulled one back in the 18th minute when Thies Prinz fed a magical pass to Raphael Hartkopf who chipped the ball high into the net from close range Germanys Joshua Onyekwue Nnaji was the busier of the two goalkeepers in the middle of the period combining good positional work with some excellent reflex saves The Germans equalised in the 26th minute passing patiently to set up Prinz for a tapin at the left post Play ebbed and flowed without further goals and it was locked at 22 by halftimeA tight third period was played mostly in the middle third of the pitch but there was a flurry of late activity Boon fired Belgium ahead with a 42ndminute penalty stroke and Germany responded immediately with Elian Mazkour scoring a scrappy field goalThe match was poised for an exciting finish and the Belgians delivered three quick goals to squeeze the life out of Germany Guillaume Hellin completed a welltimed deflection for a 49thminute field goal Thibeau Stockbroekx then put the finishing touch to Boons feed a minute later and Boon completed his second hattrick of the tournament so far with a sublime running flick off his right foot in the 51st He is the leading scorer in the Pro League with eight goals so farBelgium threatened repeatedly in the closing minutes and only an exceptional triple save from Onyekwue Nnaji denied them the goal of the tournament from four pinball touchesAction now moves to Argentina where matches continue from Tuesday IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-tom-boon-hat-trick-propels-belgian-men-to-victory-over-germany-588592.html Mon, 09 Dec 2024 23:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-goal-is-to-lead-by-example-says-odisha-warriors-captain-588473.html New Delhi Dec 9 Odisha Warriors captain Neha is all set to embark on a historic journey as she leads her team in the firstever Womens Hockey India League HIL 202425 Having recently triumphed with the Indian squad at the Asian Champions Trophy Neha now steps into the captaincy role with renewed energy and focus for this landmark event in Indian hockey Reflecting on the significance of the inaugural Womens HIL Neha underscored its importance for the next generation of players Weve been waiting for a platform like this for years and now that its finally here it feels surreal Its a huge opportunity for young girls to showcase their talent on a national stage This league will also inspire those who didnt make it this season to push harder and aim for the next edition Im confident the HIL will help unearth new talent for the Indian team she saidNeha who has been appointed captain of the Odisha Warriors is eager to take on the new responsibility This is my first major tournament as a captain and while theres a sense of pressure Im excited about the challenge Ive been part of the Indian setup for a while so I know how to step up when its required Ive always embraced leadership roles whether its guiding my teammates or taking crucial decisions on the field Our squad is full of experienced and talented players so I wont have to tell them much My goal is to lead by example and bring out the best in my teamDespite recent personal milestones including her marriage Neha remains focused on balancing her professional and personal commitments Managing both aspects of my life is something Ive been doing for years My marriage doesnt change my approach towards the game My husband is incredibly supportive and understands how much hockey means to me So my sole focus right now is the HIL and Im ready to give it my all she explainedAt the HIL auction Neha was acquired for Rs 10 lakh a testament to her valuable contribution to the sport While she hasnt decided how to use the money she hopes to contribute to the development of young athletes I want to give back in some way perhaps by supporting girls in hockey academies who need financial assistance she sharedFresh off her victory in the Asian Champions Trophy in Rajgir Bihar Neha is bringing the same confidence and determination to the HIL Playing in front of a home crowd is always special The energy and support from the fans played a big part in our success in Rajgir and Im hoping for a similar atmosphere in the HIL As a central midfielder my aim is to support both the attack and defense and help my team in every aspectAs the Womens HIL prepares to revolutionise Indian womens hockey Neha offered words of encouragement to aspiring young players My advice to young players is to seize this opportunity and express yourselves on the field Weve waited a long time for a league like this and its finally here Use this platform to work harder improve your skills and shine at an early stage in your career IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-goal-is-to-lead-by-example-says-odisha-warriors-captain-588473.html Mon, 09 Dec 2024 14:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/opportunity-to-play-in-hil-and-earn-money-doesnt-happen-every-day-says-david-harte-588016.html New Delhi Dec 6 Irish hockey legend David Harte is gearing up for an intense six weeks of action in the revived Hockey India League HIL 202425 season starting on December 28 Harte was bought by Tamil Nadu Dragons for Rs 32 lakh at last months auction and will play a key role in the teams journey in the tournament Im currently in the car here outside my own hockey club SV Kampong in six degrees and stormlike winds ready to go and have a goalkeeper session with my trainer Martijn Drijver So trying to do as much as I can even though our season only finished up I think about 10 days ago took a bit of time off 2024 has been a heavy season of course for a lot of players So now its trying to find the right balance between you know being fresh but also trying to get to the peak performances in the HIL as well Harte told IANS on his preparations for the HILThe 36yearold is excited to be part of the HIL again after playing for Mumbai Magicians and Dabang Mumbai from 2014 to 2017 in the previous version and sees it as a financial opportunity to secure his familys futureI think obviously most hockey players have realised that the possibilities and the opportunities to go to the HIL and to earn money for the seven eight weeks that youre there doesnt happen every day of your life And especially not as a hockey player while theyre quite minimal compared to the cricket or the IPL level of earnings you can always say that that type of money can make a difference in your lifeIt can be a down payment or a deposit for a new house or a mortgage It can help also perhaps with tuition fees for your daughters or your kids futures he addedWhen asked about his shortterm goal in the HIL Harte emphasised bonding with fellow teammates and adjusting to the team environment initially before aiming for the title Shortterm goal I think would be looking straight away to try and get the team to blend I have played in many different leagues across Europe and also Asia I played also in the Malaysian Hockey League and the Hockey India League as you rightly said Its always tricky at the beginning to try and get the group to gel together the Irish goalkeeper saidThe different backgrounds cultures languages even trying to figure out each others names in such a short space of time is obviously quite tricky And that will go for all of the eight teams of the different franchises So thatll be the shortterm goal And of course the longterm goal will be building over the common years With the Hockey Indian team of course every franchise wants to win And thats certainly something we also want to do as Tamil Nadu DragonsHarte who has played in different European and Asian leagues around the world pointed out that HIL is more intense due to its shorter period than othersI think obviously the different formats would be that the likes of the leagues here in Europe are for a more sustained period of time So you have perhaps your first half of the season might be close to three months long You have a winter break and then you finish and conclude with another three months before heading towards the playoffs and having played in the Hockey India League and Malaysia a lot shorter Maybe the guts of eight nine weeks at most when the previous editions were a bit longer he saidI think when youre trying to get the most out of those times there is well in the Netherlands here or the European leagues you have a bit more time and opportunity to develop yourself individually But as a group in leagues like the Hockey India League thats one of the biggest challenges How can you go from A to B as quickly as possible Realising that its not always going to be in a straight line Therell be some dip moments therell be some high moments and ultimately continuing to try to bring the group towards the goals that you want to achieve together So that probably would be the major difference the former Irish hockey captain saidHarte is eager to play with Netherlands Yip Jansen and Indias Amit Rohidas in Tamil Nadu Dragons He also added that HIL is a great platform for local talents to demonstrate their skills and secure their futuresIm really excited to get over to see what it actually is like And I think if I remember back so fondly the good memories that I have from competing in the previous editions of the Hockey India League I think thats the magic of the league You get to go in Of course youll know some of the international players from maybe some of them are your own club teammates like Yip Jansen or players from other countries that you played against for many many years But then on the same side knowing you have the Indian stronghold players like AmitAnd then at the same time those unknown kind of undiscovered players who have this podium the Hockey India League to really show what they can do And I think thats one of the most exciting phases for them to be in and for me to be a part of to see these players who you might not have ever heard of But you know that potentially over years to come they will be also going to the Olympics They will also be competing on the highest level he addedReflecting on his previous appearance in the HIL with the Mumbai Magicians now defunct Harte shared his interesting interaction with Indian goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak that turned true earlier this year at the Paris OlympicsAnd I can remember my time when I was at my team in Mumbai Magicians all those years ago in 2017 when I met Krishan Pathak for the first time I said to him if he was to keep going and doing what he does recognise his athleticism and his reflexes and his ability I said youre going to be maybe the next Indian No1 goalkeeper And then seven years later youre walking in the Olympic Village with them So I think thats also incredible as well he recalled IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/opportunity-to-play-in-hil-and-earn-money-doesnt-happen-every-day-says-david-harte-588016.html Fri, 06 Dec 2024 18:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-being-teammates-with-indian-players-would-be-special-says-netherlands-thierry-brinkman-587487.html New Delhi Dec 4 Netherlands mens hockey team star Thierry Brinkman is all set to don the colours of Kalinga Lancers in the upcoming edition of the Hockey India League HIL 202425 With the muchanticipated league returning after a sevenyear hiatus Brinkman is thrilled to be part of the action particularly in India where he cherishes the chance to play in one of the sports most passionate arenas Reflecting on his upcoming stint Brinkman said I am looking forward to playing in Rourkela The stadium there is the most beautiful hockey stadium in the world We played some great World Cup games there in 2023 Good memories Brinkman who is a key player for the Dutch national team and was instrumental in their Gold medal triumph at the Paris 2024 Olympics is excited to engage with the Indian hockey communityFor this years HIL Im really looking forward to playing for the Indian hockey fans Being teammates with Indian players would be special he addedThe auction system of HIL also caught Brinkmans attention I think the whole system with the auction is unique There was a lot of interest from the press because of the concept where teams can buy players Its really nice that the HIL is back after seven years Brinkman remarked highlighting the innovative nature of the league and its global appealAs a professional player Brinkman noted that hockey combined with sponsorships forms his primary source of income making competitions like HIL an essential part of his career The Hockey India League brings an incredible opportunity for players like me to not only perform on a global stage but also to interact with fans and teammates from across the worldMoreover hockey combined with sponsorships is currently my primary source of income so HIL is also a big financial boost for me in that sense he stated IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-2024-25-being-teammates-with-indian-players-would-be-special-says-netherlands-thierry-brinkman-587487.html Wed, 04 Dec 2024 13:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/bindra-narang-harbhajan-send-best-wishes-to-jr-mens-hockey-team-for-asia-cup-final-vs-pakistan-587504.html New Delhi Dec 4 Indian Mens Junior Hockey Team is set to face their archrivals Pakistan in the Mens Junior Asia Cup Final Ahead of this muchanticipated clash Beijing Olympics gold medallist Abhinav Bindra and Olympian Gagan Narang and veteran Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh extended their best wishes to the Indian Colts on Wednesday encouraging them to bring the trophy back home As the defending champions India will aim to retain their title by overcoming their longstanding rivals Pakistan in this highstakes finalOlympic Gold medallist Bindra in his message praised the young guns for their win against Malaysia and wished them for the finals against Pakistan He said A big congratulations to our Indian junior hockey team for an incredible win against Malaysia in semifinals Making it to the Junior Asia Cup final is such an amazing achievement and youve already made the country so so proudAs you take the field against Pakistan tonight just remember to enjoy the moment and play the way you love Trust your skills trust each other and keep that fighting spirit alive We are all cheering for you and wishing you the very best Go out there and have fun Good luck and Jai HindIn a video message wishing the team Harbhajan Singh said A big shoutout to the Indian Hockey Team which is playing the final of the Mens Junior Asia Cup today against Pakistan Guys I want to wish you the best on the field go win it for India I am sure you can do it Come on IndiaLets cheer our Indian Junior Mens Hockey Team who will take on arch rivals Pakistan tonight in the final of Mens Hockey Junior Asia Cup The Indian team coached by my dear friend imprsreejesh TheHockeyIndia they are just one step away from creating history to become the only team in Asia to win the title for a record five times Good Luck India Narang wrote on XThe Indian team has displayed exceptional form throughout the tournament winning all five of their games Their victories include an impressive 110 win over Thailand a hardfought 32 win against Japan a dominant 160 triumph over Chinese Taipei and an 81 victory against Korea in the group stage In the semifinals India secured a strong 31 win over Malaysia advancing to the Final IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/bindra-narang-harbhajan-send-best-wishes-to-jr-mens-hockey-team-for-asia-cup-final-vs-pakistan-587504.html Wed, 04 Dec 2024 14:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/mens-junior-asia-cup-india-book-ticket-to-final-with-3-1-victory-against-malaysia-587405.html Muscat Oman Dec 3 The Indian Junior Mens Hockey Team took on Malaysia in the semifinal of the Mens Junior Asia Cup against Korea here on Tuesday and defeated them 31 to advance to the final Dilraj Singh 10 Rohit 45 and Sharda Nand Tiwari 52 found the back of the net for India in the tie while Kamaruddin Azimuddin 57 scored a consolation goal for Malaysia towards the end of the game Malaysia started the game on the front foot quickly earning a penalty corner However the Indian defence stood firm Moments later Captain Che Nur Aqilrullah forced Indias goalkeeper Bikramjeet into action with a powerful shotThe growing pressure resulted in another penalty corner for Malaysia but once again Kamaruddin Azimuddins flick was saved India looked to transition quickly from defence and in the 10th minute Araijeet Singh Hundal found Dilraj Singh in the shooting circle Dilraj turned around and while off balance bypassed the Malaysian goalkeeper Mohamad Rafaizul with a powerful shot to grant India the leadMalaysia didnt show any signs of discouragement as they took the pitch in the second quarter and maintained their grip in the game earning a couple of penalty corners but India bayed their advances and continued to threaten Malaysia with frequent counterattacks Indian forwards Araijeet and Gurjot Singh were at the end of significant goalscoring opportunities but failed to capitalise and the first half ended 10 for IndiaIndia pushed forward to double their lead in the third quarter but Malaysia closely marked all Indian players and fought for every loose ball to keep the tie within their reach Halfway through the quarter Malaysia earned a penalty corner but the shot bounced off the postIndia began rotating the ball patiently in search of openings but a yellow card with five minutes left in the quarter meant India had to defend with a man down Despite this disadvantage Malaysia failed to break down the Indian defence and went on to concede a penalty corner in the last second This time Vice Captain Rohit directed a powerful drag flick to the top right corner and made it 20 for IndiaIndia took more control as the last quarter began earning a penalty corner with ten minutes remaining in the game However Mohamad Rafaizul pulled off amazing consecutive saves to keep the ball out of his goal With eight minutes left in the quarter Sharda Nand Tiwari pounced on a deflected shot from a penalty corner and unleashed a reverse tomahawk to increase Indias lead furtherAround the threeminute mark Malaysia earned a penalty stroke and Kamaruddin Azimuddin beat Prince Deep Singh from the spot to score their first goal Despite this India contained Malaysia for the rest of the quarter sealing a 31 victoryIndia will now face off against last years finalist Pakistan once again in the final of the Mens Junior Asia Cup on Wednesday India had earned a hardfought 21 victory against their longtime rivals to clinch the gold medal last time around IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/mens-junior-asia-cup-india-book-ticket-to-final-with-3-1-victory-against-malaysia-587405.html Tue, 03 Dec 2024 23:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-chile-to-host-2025-womens-junior-world-cup-587198.html Lausanne Switzerland Dec 2 Chiles capital city Santiago will host the revamped 11th edition of the FIH Hockey Womens Junior World Cup next year the International Hockey Federation FIH revealed on Monday The South American nation will be hosting the event for the fourth time which will now be the largestever field bringing together young stars from all over the world The 2025 edition the dates of which will be declared at a later date will have eight more teams in the fray The number of teams has been increased as per the FIH Empowerment and Engagement strategy to give more opportunities to play to a larger and more diverse number of National AssociationsThus the 2025 FIH Hockey Junior World Cups women and men will involve 24 teams for the first time ever in the history of FIHBesides hosts Chile defending champions Netherlands Spain England Germany Belgium Ireland Wales Czechia Argentina USA Uruguay and Canada have already qualified for the eventTeams representing Africa Asia and Oceania will qualify at a later stageThis recognition reaffirms Chiles commitment through the leadership of our Board of Directors to actively support and contribute to the global development of hockey We eagerly look forward to welcoming you all to Santiago de Chile in December 2025 said Andrés de Witt President of the Chilean Field Hockey Federation and the Local Organizing CommitteeFIH President Tayyab Ikram added Expanding opportunities and fostering inclusivity are at the heart of our mission to grow hockey globally The FIH Hockey Junior World Cups represent the vibrant future of our sport celebrating extraordinary young talent from across the globe The 2025 edition in Santiago Chile will bring together 24 dynamic teams from around the world offering an unparalleled showcase of competition and diversityThe last edition of the FIH Hockey Womens Junior World Cup took place in 2023 also in Santiago and was won by the Netherlands IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-chile-to-host-2025-womens-junior-world-cup-587198.html Mon, 02 Dec 2024 22:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-china-w-edge-past-belgium-w-netherlands-prevails-over-germany-on-shootouts-586829.html Lausanne Dec 1 The new FIH Hockey Pro League season kicked off with two highquality encounters featuring three of the teams that contested goldmedal matches at Paris 2024 The womens sides got the tournament underway in Hangzhou with Olympic silver medallists China taking on thirdranked Belgium for the first time since their hotly contested semifinal showdown in Paris with the Chinese once again prevailing in a shootoutThe Chinese have troubled the worlds best teams over the past year most recently knocking Belgium out of the Paris Olympics in a semifinal shootout before losing narrowly to the Dutch in the goldmedal match They started their FIH Hockey Pro League campaign with high expectations and bossed long periods of a highpaced first half before Xu Wenyu opened their account with a 20thminute penalty corner strikeZou Meirong extended Chinas lead in the 32nd minute bagging a rebound from a penalty corner The momentum then shifted away from China while Liu Hua served a 10minute suspension through the third quarter but Belgium struggled to take advantageThe Red Panthers sparked to life in the final period though Michelle Struijk finding the back of the net with a deflection from a wellworked penalty corner variation in the 50th minute Belgium took tremendous confidence into the closing minutes creating numerous opportunities before Justine Rasir found an equaliser from a penalty corner rebound with just two minutes remaining in the match A tense finish failed to produce further goals and with the points shared the match went to a shootout where China repeated their heroics from Paris to claim the bonus pointOver in Amsterdam the mens tournament opened with the defending FIH Hockey Pro League champions the Netherlands taking on Germany in a repeat of the Olympic final And just like in Paris a few months ago it was the Dutch who prevailed also in a shootoutNetherlands and Germany played out a close 11 draw for a share of the points before the hosts ran away 41 in the shootout for a bonus point The Dutch most recently pipped Germany in a fiery goldmedal game at the Paris Olympics and got on the attack early in the rematch calling on Alexander Stadler to save a drag flick in the second minute Germany settled quickly though and started to stamp their authority on the quarter Mauritz Visser was busy in the Dutch goal saving an 11thminute penalty corner and making two good saves from open play The second quarter was a tight affair with both teams struggling to create opportunities until the final two minutes of the half Stadler first denied the Dutch from a poorly struck shot with just two minutes remaining in the half but he had no answer when Thierry Brinkmans cross from the baseline deflected off a German defender to give the hosts a 10 leadThe Dutch were very much in the ascendancy in the final quarter and only the post denied last seasons FIH Hockey Pro League top goal scorer Jip Janssen from opening his account with a drag flick Janssen pushed another drag flick wide with six minutes remaining and Germany were still in contention when they pulled their goalkeeper off with a little over three minutes remaining Raphael Hartkopf found the equaliser with his 58thminute field goal and Germany very nearly snatched the win in the dying seconds The Dutch recovered to win the shootout comfortably much to the delight of the home fans IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/fih-pro-league-china-w-edge-past-belgium-w-netherlands-prevails-over-germany-on-shootouts-586829.html Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hardik-singh-named-captain-of-up-rudras-in-hockey-india-league-586884.html Lucknow Dec 1 UP Rudras have announced team India vicecaptain and talismanic midfielder Hardik Singh as its captain in their inaugural season of the Hockey India League The Arjuna Award winner who also received the prestigious FIH Player of the Year Award in 2023 has earned 140 caps for Team India He will lead a talented squad under the guidance of gaffer Paul Van Ass and technical director Cedric DsouzaHardik was our first pick at the auctions and we were sure of him leading the side Having seen him consistently do well for India and being a part of the Indian team that won two backtoback Olympic bronze medals is no small feat We are sure that with his ability to understand the nuances and intricacies of the game he will not only lead the team well but will also bring the best out of those around him head coach Van saidThe Lucnowbased franchise has assembled a strong squad that also features young sensation Priyobarta Talem Gurjot Singh along with some of the stalwarts of Indian and international Hockey including Lalit Kumar Upadhyay Simranjeet Singh Lars Balk and Kane RusselIt will be nothing less than a pleasure to lead UP Rudras in this season of the Hockey India League Representing and captaining a team based out of the legendary Dhyanchand Jis hometown is everything a player can ask for We have a fantastic squad with strength across every departmentI am delighted to lead a side that shares a common love and passion for the sport together we are eagerly waiting to wear the UP Rudras jersey and step onto the field to give it our best said HardikThe UP Rudras will begin phase 1 of their campaign in the league by taking on Vedanta Kalinga Lancers on December 30 at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hardik-singh-named-captain-of-up-rudras-in-hockey-india-league-586884.html Sun, 01 Dec 2024 13:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jyoti-to-lead-20-member-indian-squad-in-womens-junior-asia-cup-586891.html New Delhi Dec 1 Hockey India on Sunday announced a strong 20member squad for the upcoming Womens Junior Asia Cup set to take place in Muscat Oman from December 7 to 15 The team will be led by captain Jyoti Singh with Sakshi Rana serving as vicecaptain Defending champions India enters the tournament with high hopes after securing their maiden title last year defeating South Korea 21 in the final This tournament serves as a qualifier for the FIH Hockey Junior World Cup 2025Goalkeepers Nidhi and Aditi Maheshwari will provide a strong presence in goal while the defense will be marshalled by Manisha Jyoti Singh Lalthantluangi Pooja Sahoo and Mamata OramThe midfield features a talented lineup with Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke Sunelita Toppo Ishika Rajni Kerketta Sakshi Rana and Khaidem Shileima Chanu Up front India will rely on forwards Deepika Beauty Dungdung Kanika Siwach Mumtaz Khan and Lalrinpuii to lead the attack Binima Dhan and Himanshi Sharad Gawande have been named as alternate playersSeveral players bring valuable seniorlevel experience with Deepika Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke Sunelita Toppo Mumtaz Khan and Beauty Dungdung already having represented the Indian Womens Hockey Team at the senior levelSpeaking on the squad selection and expectations from the tournament coach Tushar Khandker said This is a special group with a great balance of experience and young talent Many of our players have already showcased their skills on the senior stage and their presence will be crucial in guiding the team Our focus is on playing an aggressive disciplined game and taking it match by match We are confident in our preparation and believe this squad has the potential to defend the title and make the country proud againThe competition will feature 10 teams divided into two pools India is placed in Pool A alongside China Malaysia Thailand and Bangladesh while Pool B consists of South Korea Japan Chinese Taipei Hong Kong China and Sri LankaIndia will take on Bangladesh in their opening match on December 8 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jyoti-to-lead-20-member-indian-squad-in-womens-junior-asia-cup-586891.html Sun, 01 Dec 2024 13:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/doordarshan-to-broadcast-hockey-india-league-2024-25-season-586756.html New Delhi Nov 30 The national broadcaster of India Doordarshan DD has partnered with the Hockey India League HIL to deliver the electrifying action of the tournament to millions of viewers across the country HIL is set to commence on December 28 This years edition is historic as it marks the inaugural season of the Womens Hockey India League alongside the muchanticipated mens competition The league will feature eight mens teams and four womens teams competing across Rourkela and Ranchi showcasing toptier talent from India and across the globeThe addition of the womens league underscores Hockey Indias commitment to advancing gender inclusivity in sports and promoting womens hockey on a grand stageNavneet Sehgal Chairman Prasar Bharati said Prasar Bharati is privileged to partner with the Hockey India League a platform that celebrates our national sports and aligns people across different categories Through our comprehensive coverage we aim to bring the electrifying spirit of hockey including the historic debut of Women HIL to viewers everywhere bridging urban and rural divide and amplifying the leagues impactGaurav Dwivedi CEO Prasar Bharati said With two backtoback medals in the Tokyo and Paris Olympics Indian sports lovers are confident that the golden era of Indian hockey is being brought back Doordarshan as the public broadcaster is looking forward to contributing to this broader vision through this partnership The idea is to elevate hockey production and broadcast to the global sporting standards The sports lovers across the world can now watch the Indian Hockey League both men and women on DD Sports and Waves the recently launched OTT platform of Prasar Bharati Stay tuned for broadcast starting December 28 2024Talking about the association Hockey India League HIL Governing Committee Chairperson Dr Dilip Tirkey said We are thrilled to partner with Doordarshan as the official broadcaster of the Hockey India League This year is particularly special with the launch of the Womens HIL a landmark step in promoting womens hockey Doordarshans unparalleled reach and commitment to sports perfectly align with our vision of taking hockey to every corner of the nation Together we aim to inspire millions and elevate the HIL to unprecedented heightsNow fans across the country can enjoy live telecasts of all Hockey India League matches on Doordarshan ensuring seamless access for hockey enthusiasts nationwideIn a historic step Doordarshans partnership with Hockey India extends to all National Championships Going forward all Hockey India National Championships across various categories as well as all hockey events in India owned by Hockey India will be telecast on DD IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/doordarshan-to-broadcast-hockey-india-league-2024-25-season-586756.html Sat, 30 Nov 2024 20:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/mens-junior-asia-cup-india-continue-dominance-with-16-0-win-over-chinese-taipei-586812.html Muscat Oman Nov 30 The Indian Junior Mens Hockey Team continued their dominant performance at the Mens Junior Asia Cup as they convincingly beat Chinese Taipei 160 in their pool A match on Saturday Dilraj Singh 17 40 45 57 starred in the match with four scintillating goals while Indian defence held sway with goalies Bikramjit Singh and Prince Deep Singh ensuring a clean slateRiding on their 32 win against a tough opponent like Japan in their previous pool A match India began with an early attack that fetched a positive outcome In only the seventh minute of the match the teams forwards secured a PC which was finely struck by Yogember Rawat The early 10 lead gave India the right momentum for a highscoring gameThough there were no more goals in the first quarter India Colts showed aggression in the second quarter scoring as many as four goals It was mercurial forward Dilraj Singh instrumental in Indias performance in the recent Sultan of Johor Cup who was the cynosure of the teams attack against Chinese Taipei He scored the teams second goal in the 17th minute Sourabh Anand Kushwaha 20 28 scored twice in this quarter while Rosan Kujur 23 too added to the teams 50 lead by halftimeIndia continued to demolish the Chinese Taipeis defence with backtoback goals in the third quarter They played with pace relied on shortpasses to create space in the circle They pumped a goal just a minute into the third quarter through Talem Priyobartas PC Rosan Kujur scored his second goal in the 32nd minute taking Indias lead to a formidable 70Arshdeep Singh arrived to the party in the 37th minute with a PC goal which was followed by a penalty stroke in the 39th minute by Sharda Nand Tiwari This took Indias lead to 90 The team scored four more goals in this quarter through Dilraj Singh 40 45 Rosan Kujur 42 both of whom completed a hattrick of goals Arshdeep too added to the scoresheet in the 44th minute giving India a 130 lead before entering the last quarter of the matchThe remaining 15 minutes was only a formality with the strikers scoring three more goals taking Indias scoreline to an impressive 160 Stylish forward Araijeet Singh Hundal entered his name on the score sheet in the 54th minute through a field goal while Dilraj scored his fourth individual goal in the 57th minute while Sourabh Anand too completed his hattrick with a 58th minute field goal This highscoring win ensured India remained on top of the points table with nine points in pool AIndia will take on Korea in their next match on December 1 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/mens-junior-asia-cup-india-continue-dominance-with-16-0-win-over-chinese-taipei-586812.html Sat, 30 Nov 2024 21:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/womens-hil-atmosphere-in-indian-stadiums-is-truly-unmatched-says-soorma-hockey-clubs-maria-verschoor-586506.html New Delhi Nov 27 Dutch womens hockey sensation Maria Verschoor is set to make her debut in the inaugural Womens Hockey India League HIL 202425 representing the Soorma Hockey Club As one of the standout players of the Netherlands national team Verschoor expressed her enthusiasm about the unique experience of playing in India and the opportunity to be part of the firstever Womens HIL Speaking of her excitement Verschoor said Im really looking forward to this adventure I had a wonderful experience earlier this year in India during the FIH Pro League where I was struck by the passion and energy of the fans Hockey is alive in India and the atmosphere in the stadiums is something specialVerschoor believes that the Womens HIL represents a significant milestone for the sport Its amazing to see the first competition of its kind for women in India and to be part of it is truly special The leagues format with a mix of international players from around the world brings together different styles and cultures which I think is great for the growth of womens hockey We will be playing some great matches and I hope we can show the world how exciting and competitive womens hockey can beVerschoor is particularly keen on contributing to the development of the womens game in India Its inspiring to see how the league is investing in womens hockey This platform gives us the chance to showcase our skills and set an example for young girls not just in India but across the world Womens hockey is exciting to watch and its great that we are getting the recognition and support to take it to new heightsLooking ahead Verschoor is optimistic about the future of the Womens HIL With four teams in the league this season and plans to expand I believe this is just the beginning Im thrilled to be a part of this journey and cant wait to see how it grows IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/womens-hil-atmosphere-in-indian-stadiums-is-truly-unmatched-says-soorma-hockey-clubs-maria-verschoor-586506.html Wed, 27 Nov 2024 17:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-womens-national-hockey-jharkhand-odisha-up-maharashtra-mp-delhi-start-with-wins-586350.html Secunderabad Telangana Nov 26 Jharkhand Odisha Uttar Pradesh Maharashtra Madhya Pradesh and Delhi started the tournament on a winning note as the 14th Hockey India SubJunior Womens National Championship 2024 began at the South Central Railways Sports Complex here on Tuesday In the opening fixture of the day the home side Telangana Hockey went down 110 to Hockey Jharkhand in Pool B Sanga Sugan 10 opened the scoring in the 10th minute off a Penalty Corner Jamuna Kumari 14 34 49 49 59 was in top form and scored five goals Mundu Sukarmani 19 Kumari Shruti 28 40 Hemron Leoni 58 and Anupriya Soreng 56 also featured on the scoresheet and helped their side prevail over Telangana HockeyIn Pool C the Hockey Association of Odisha beat the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu 90 Anjana Xaxa 30 40 44 and Lugun Shibani 41 45 57 scored three goals each to dominate the attack while Kajur Sanjna 29 35 Kiro Sanjana 46 also scored for their sideIn the third match of the day Uttar Pradesh Hockey dominated Hockey Rajasthan 110 in Pool D Manisha Patel 52 58 Sonkar Payal 29 46 and Akanksha Pal 55 60 scored braces for Uttar Pradesh Hockey and they were supported by goals from Patel Pragya 6 Kumari Arika 10 Sanjana Raikwar 14 Annu 35 Chauhan Shraddha 37In Pool G Hockey Maharashtra outperformed Assam Hockey to win 71 The goals for Maharashtra were scored by Santosh Tejaswini Padinjaratthathu 1 Chavan Jahnvi 9 20 Panchore Prachi Dnyaneshwar 27 Baviskar Gunjan 15 Rawat Anvi 37 and captain Kubae Yashasvi 56 Assam Hockey managed to score a consolation goal courtesy of Urang Manashi 26In Pool H Hockey Madhya Pradesh went on a scoring spree and thrashed Le Puducherry Hockey 330 Babar Keshar 4 7 12 30 37 Naz Nousheen 32 35 37 40 42 43 Sallu Pukhrambam 15 27 29 46 49 49 52 59 dominated the scoresheet Sujata Jayant 40 50 53 Kanak Pal 34 55 57 Captain Krishna Sharma 20 43 44 Parmar Ronak 28 48 Rubi Rathore 2 Davde Sneha 7 and Gungun Kaur 56 also contributed with goalsDelhi Hockey edged past Hockey Karnataka 21 in Pool F to close the days action Prince Agnesh S 8 opened the scoring for Hockey Karnataka but Delhi Hockey came back and scored twice courtesy of Dipika 28 46 to win the match IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-womens-national-hockey-jharkhand-odisha-up-maharashtra-mp-delhi-start-with-wins-586350.html Tue, 26 Nov 2024 22:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-indian-team-leaves-for-mens-junior-asia-cup-in-muscat--585365.html Bengaluru Nov 22 The Indian junior mens hockey team embarked from Bengaluru on Friday for their Mens Junior Asia Cup 2024 campaign in Muscat Oman from November 26 to December 4 India have won the tournament for a record four times including 2023 2015 2008 and 2004 They beat nemesis Pakistan 21 in the final last year to lift the title With 10 team participating in the event this time India have been placed in Pool A with Korea Japan Chinese Taipei and Thailand While the remaining five teams in Pool B are Pakistan Malaysia Bangladesh Oman and ChinaLed by captain Amir Ali and vice captain Rohit India will open their campaign against Thailand on November 27 followed by a match against Japan on November 28 A clash against Chinese Taipei is on the cards for November 30 and their last group stage match against Korea is scheduled for December 1 The Indian team will have to ensure a top two finish to advance to the semi final slated for December 3Following their thirdplace finish at the Sultan of Johor Cup 2024 India will look to carry their momentum and put on a good show at the Mens Junior Asia Cup 2024 in Oman with head coach PR Sreejesh at the helmAs the captain of the Indian junior nens hockey team I am extremely excited for the Mens Junior Asia Cup 2024 We have been preparing rigorously and are ready to face the challenges ahead We all understand the importance of this tournament and the opportunity to showcase our skills on the big stage Our focus is on giving our best from the very first match and securing a strong position to make it to the final captain Amir Ali sharedWe are all feeling very motivated and eager to start our campaign at the Mens Junior Asia Cup The energy in the camp is fantastic and there is a strong sense of unity among the players Our recent performance at the Sultan of Johor Cup has given us confidence and were focused on building on that momentum We are determined to work hard stay disciplined and perform to our full potential in every match vice captain Rohit added IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-indian-team-leaves-for-mens-junior-asia-cup-in-muscat--585365.html Fri, 22 Nov 2024 15:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/mens-jr-asia-cup-hockey-india-eye-title-defense-ahead-of-home-world-cup-next-year-585398.html New Delhi Nov 22 The best junior mens hockey teams from Asia will compete in the Mens Junior Asia Cup 2024 in Muscat Oman from November 26 to December 4 with six spots up for grabs in the upcoming FIH Junior World Cup 2025 to be played in India The tournament with an expanded competition format will feature 24 teams for the very first time India enter the tournament as defending champions after beating archrivals Pakistan 21 last year They also hold the record for most titles with four including 2023 2015 2008 and 2004 accolades to their name in the tournament This time the team is led by captain Amir Ali and vicecaptain Rohit while twotime Olympic bronze medallist PR Sreejesh is performing the head coachs roleThe ten participating teams have been split into two pools with Pool A comprising Chinese Taipei India Japan Korea and Thailand In Pool B hosts Oman will be joined by Bangladesh China Malaysia and Pakistan Each team in the pool stage will play the other four teams in their pool once The top two teams in both pools will qualify for the semifinals while the teams in third and fourth positions will compete for the 58 place classification The teams finishing in the fifth place in both pools will go headtohead to avoid finishing in the tenth placeThe losing semifinalists will play in the bronze medal match with the two finalists and the bronze medalists qualifying for the FIH Junior Hockey World Cup 2025 India as hosts have already qualified for the World Cup so if they finish within the top6 positions in the event then the seventhplaced team will also secure entry into the World CupThe FIH Junior Hockey Mens World Cup 2025 will be played in India As hosts India have already qualified for the competition Belgium England France Germany Netherlands Spain Austria and Switzerland have qualified from EuropeArgentina Canada and Chile have qualified from the Americas Following the six qualifiers from the Junior Asia Cup three more teams from Oceania and Africa each will qualify for the World Cup to complete the qualification process over the next few months IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/mens-jr-asia-cup-hockey-india-eye-title-defense-ahead-of-home-world-cup-next-year-585398.html Fri, 22 Nov 2024 17:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/pm-modi-congratulates-indian-womens-hockey-team-for-asian-champions-trophy-title-584998.html New Delhi Nov 21 Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Indian womens hockey team for winning the Womens Asian Champions Trophy and said this success will motivate the young athletes India defeated China 10 in the final to be crowned Champions of the Womens Asian Champions Trophy at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium in Bihar on Wednesday for the third consecutive timeA phenomenal accomplishment Congratulations to our hockey team on winning the Womens Asian Champions Trophy They played exceptionally well through the tournament Their success will motivate many upcoming athletes PM Modi posted on XHockey India declared a reward of Rs 3 Lakh each for all players and Rs 15 Lakh each for all support staff following the Indian womens triumphant victory in the Bihar Womens Asian Champions Trophy Rajgir 2024 Adding to this moment the Asian Hockey Federation has also announced a reward for podium finishers for the very first time in the competitions history India will receive a substantial USD 10000 while China and Japan will be awarded USD 7000 and USD 5000 respectivelyAs a mark of celebration the Bihar government has announced a significant cash award Each player in the squad will receive Rs 10 lakhs in recognition of their outstanding performance at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium during the course of the tournament In addition to this Chief Coach Harendra Singh was rewarded with Rs 10 lakhs while the rest of the support staff received Rs 5 lakhs each IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/pm-modi-congratulates-indian-womens-hockey-team-for-asian-champions-trophy-title-584998.html Thu, 21 Nov 2024 12:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/bihar-will-host-khelo-india-youth-games-2025-says-sports-minister-dr-mandaviya-after-indias-triumph-in-womens-asian-champions-trophy-hockey-584729.html Rajgir Bihar Nov 20 Buoyed by the successful organisation of the Womens Asian Champions Trophy 2024 in Rajgir Bihar the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has decided to conduct the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 in Bihar Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports and Labour and Employment Dr Mansukh L Mandaviya made this announcement after witnessing the Indian womens hockey teams triumph over China in the final at the Bihar University Ground in Nalanda here Speaking to the media after the final Dr Mandaviya expressed happiness about the Indian womens team winning the title and also congratulated the Bihar Government on successfully organising the eventCongratulations to the Indian womens hockey team on winning the title and felicitate them I would also like to congratulate the Bihar Government for successfully organising this championship in the state Dr Mandaviya saidOn the occasion I also announce that the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 will be organised in Bihar the Minister addedThe Indian teams chief coach Harendra Singh who hails from Bihar said hosting the event successfully was a great achievement for the stateA GREAT ACHIEVEMENT FOR BIHAR HARENDRAFor 28 years I have been urging people across all walks of life for promoting hockey in the state but nobody took note of it A coach always aspires to coach his team to success in his birthplace Today my dream has been fulfilled by these 20 daughters of mineOrganising a big international event in the state indicates a huge change in the State I express my gratitude to the Bihar Government and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for successfully organising such an international tournament in Bihar which had previously not even organised a schoollevel hockey tournament said Harendra who has previously coached the Indian womens hockey team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast AustraliaHarendra attributed this positive development in Bihar and the teams success to the tremendous support of the public for the game and the teamI was in the USA for five years as a coach and have toured around the world but the facilities that have been arranged here are the best It is now the responsibility of the Bihar Government to get parents from a state oriented towards education that prides itself in producing IAS and IPS officers to encourage children to take up sports as sports can help us achieve everything sports help us in gaining fitness fame and fortune said HarendraPenalty corner expert Deepika who struck the lone goal that sealed the Indian teams 10 win over China in the final attributed her success to the support of her teammates It is the support of my teammates and the huge number of fans in the stands that inspired me to excel in this match said DeepikaSkipper Salima Tete said that though Deepika scored the goal the success belongs to the entire team Whenever we earn a penalty corner we are confident that Deepika will score goals and today she did that said the Indian team captainSalima said that China has a strong team and it put up a huge fight thwarting the Indian players attempt to score a goal The India captain was happy that her team did not lose hope after being thwarted repeatedly maintained its composure and kept on attacking in search of a goal IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/bihar-will-host-khelo-india-youth-games-2025-says-sports-minister-dr-mandaviya-after-indias-triumph-in-womens-asian-champions-trophy-hockey-584729.html Wed, 20 Nov 2024 23:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/afc-asian-qualifiers-uaes-thorough-preparations-secured-historic-5-0-win-vs-qatar-says-head-coach-paulo-bento-584652.html Abu Dhabi Nov 20 United Arab Emirates UAE head coach Paulo Bento attributed his teams dominant 50 victory over Qatar in the AFC Asian Qualifiers Road to 26 Group A match to thorough preparation Fabio Lima starred with four goals including a firsthalf hattrick which helped UAE climb to third place in the group keeping them within reach of Iran and UzbekistanWe prepared well to face Qatar knowing they have a strong team with exceptional players and a highlevel coach We considered every possible scenario as predicting their strategy was challenging We succeeded in capitalizing on our chances and scoring goals something we struggled with in the match against Uzbekistan despite performing well Unfortunately we missed many easy opportunities then Bento was quoted saying by AFC websiteLimas early goals put UAE in control with Bentos squad exploiting Qatars defensive lapses The victory came after a frustrating loss to Uzbekistan where the UAE had created chances but failed to convert them into goals In this game however the team was clinical taking full advantage of every opportunity that came their wayOn the other hand Qatars head coach Marquez Lopez was left lamenting his teams tactical errors following the defeat The UAE team earned a deserved victory and I congratulate them Lopez said Our plan relied on a defensive approach and counterattacks but Fabio Limas early goal disrupted our strategy leading to numerous individual errors that cost usLopez acknowledged the difficulty of regaining control after the early setback By the 80th minute with the score at five in favor of the UAE it was evident that further attempts were futile he addedQatar will now look to bounce back when they face DPR Korea in March IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/afc-asian-qualifiers-uaes-thorough-preparations-secured-historic-5-0-win-vs-qatar-says-head-coach-paulo-bento-584652.html Wed, 20 Nov 2024 19:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/womens-asian-champions-trophy-deepikas-goal-helps-india-beat-china-to-defend-title-claim-their-third-crown-overall--584663.html Rajgir Bihar Nov 20 India secured the Womens Asian Champions Trophy 2024 title with a hardfought 10 victory against China in the final here on Wednesday Deepikas decisive backhanded strike in the third quarter proved to be the difference as the hosts defended their lead resolutely to claim their second consecutive title Overall this is the third time that India have won the Womens Asian Champions Trophy joining South Korea as the most successful team in the competition After their maiden triumph in 2016 in Singapore the Indian womens team won their second title in Ranchi in 2023 and have now followed it up with victory in Rajgir on Wednesday India have claimed silver medals twice in 2013 and 2018 and bronze in 2010The match on Wednesday saw both teams trade blows in the first half but India upped the intensity in the second session and a goal from Deepika in the 31st minute ensured India defended their Asian Champions Trophy titleHockey India declared a reward of 3 lakh each for all players and 15 lakh each for all support staff following the Indian womens hockey teams triumphant victory Hockey India announced on the occasionAdding to this moment the Asian Hockey Federation AHF announced a reward for podium finishers for the very first time in the competitions history India will receive a substantial cash prize of USD 10000 while China and Japan will be awarded USD 7000 and USD 5000 respectivelyIn the final both teams fiercely contested every inch of territory as the game began trading circle entries without managing any shots on goal It was an intense endtoend battle but neither side could find the finishing touch for most of the quarter In the final minutes of the quarter India strung together a series of quick passes to penetrate the shooting circle However the Chinese defense stayed resilient closely marking the forwards and preventing any clear goalscoring opportunities and the first quarter ended goallessIn the second quarter Paris Olympic Games silver medallist China took the initiative and earned a penalty corner two minutes in but Bichu Devi showcased her catlike reflexes by leaping high to swat away a closerange shot from Jinzhuang Tan India immediately responded by earning a penalty corner in the very next minute but Deepikas drag flick was brilliantly saved by the Chinese goalkeeper Surong Wu Both teams traded another set of penalty corners yet neither could find the back of the net The game continued to be an intense endtoend battle with neither side willing to give an inch As a result the first half ended with the score still locked at 00Within seconds of the second half India earned another penalty corner after a missed trap Navneet passed to Deepika on the left wing of the circle who found the bottom right corner of the goal with a harrowing reverse shot and granted India the lead in the game In search of a second goal India pressed higher and pegged China back into their own half With three minutes left in the quarter China began rotating the ball along the backline to gain control but India won the ball and set Deepika on a counter She stepped up to take a penalty stroke after she was fouled but her low shot was saved by Ting Li on the line to keep China in the gameAs the final quarter began China showed greater resolve pressing forward with determination However India quickly regained control pushing China back and earning a penalty corner within two minutes but Sushilas shot was easily kicked away by Surong Wu in goal China then rallied and intensified their pursuit of an equaliser but the Indian defense remained impenetrable effectively shutting down all avenues for Chinas attacks In the end Indias exemplary defense ensured they clinched their third Asian Champions Trophy title with a hardfought 10 victoryJapan who lost to India 20 in the semifinals defeated Malaysia 41 in the playoff to bag the bronze medal in the event IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/womens-asian-champions-trophy-deepikas-goal-helps-india-beat-china-to-defend-title-claim-their-third-crown-overall--584663.html Wed, 20 Nov 2024 20:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-names-amir-ali-led-20-man-team-for-junior-asia-cup-584079.html New Delhi Nov 18 Hockey India on Monday announced the 20member squad for the Mens Junior Asia Cup a qualifying event for the FIH Hockey Junior World Cup 2025 to be held in Muscat Oman from November 26 to December 4 India has won this tournament for a record four times including 2023 2015 2008 and 2004 They beat nemesis Pakistan 21 in the final last year to lift the titleThis year the event will see 10 teams from the continent divided into two pools with India Chinese Taipei Japan Korea and Thailand in pool A and Bangladesh Malaysia China Oman and Pakistan in Pool BAlthough India qualifies for the FIH Hockey Junior World Cup by virtue of being the hosts the team under coach PR Sreejesh will be vying to carry on their momentum from their recent success at the Sultan of Johor Cup where they finished on the podiumThe Indian side side will be led by Amir Ali and Rohit will be his deputy Goalkeepers Princedeep Singh and Bikramjit Singh will guard the post for India while defenders Amir Ali Talem Priyobarta Shardanand Tiwari Yogember Rawat Anmol Ekka and Rohit have been named in the squadMidfielders Ankit Pal Manmeet Singh Rosan Kujur Mukesh Toppo Thokchom Kingson Singh and forwards Gurjot Singh Sourabh Anand Kushwaha Dilraj Singh Arshdeep Singh and Araijeet Singh Hundal Meanwhile Sukhvinder and Chandan Yadav have been named as alternate playersThe Sultan of Johor Cup was a firsttime experience for many of the players yet they showed great spirit in doing well and I am quite pleased with how they performed The team will be taking confidence from that performance and will be working towards a successful outing in the Junior Asia Cup The players have been putting in a lot of hard work at the ongoing national camp in SAI Bengaluru and we have made certain changes to our game to be more effective in defence and efficient in converting goals expressed coach and former India goalie SreejeshGoalkeepers Princedeep Singh Bikramjit SinghDefenders Amir Ali C Talem Priyobarta Shardanand Tiwari Yogember Rawat Anmol Ekka Rohit VCMidfielders Ankit Pal Manmeet Singh Rosan Kujur Mukesh Toppo Thokchom Kingson SinghForwards Gurjot Singh Sourabh Anand Kushwaha Dilraj Singh Arshdeep Singh Araijeet Singh HundalAP Athletes Sukhvinder Chandan Yadav IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-names-amir-ali-led-20-man-team-for-junior-asia-cup-584079.html Mon, 18 Nov 2024 12:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-men-national-hockey-haryana-beat-up-odisha-overcome-manipur-to-meet-in-final-583520.html Chennai Nov 15 Hockey Haryana and Hockey Association of Odisha will contest the final of the 14th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship winning their respective semifinals on Day 12 at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium here on Friday The two losing teams Uttar Pradesh Hockey and Manipur Hockey will compete for third place on Saturday Hockey Haryana defeated Uttar Pradesh Hockey 32 in the second semifinal of the day Hockey Haryana were off to a strong start finding two goals in the second quarter through Raman 17 and Abhimanyu 20 In the third quarter Rajinder Singh 38 added to the tally to make it 30A late surge from Uttar Pradesh Hockey saw Arun Sahani 49 and Manish Yadav 53 score in the fourth quarter however the equaliser evaded themIn the first semifinal of the day the Hockey Association of Odisha defeated Manipur Hockey 42 In the first quarter Nilakanta Sharma 7 gave Manipur Hockey the lead before Nilam Sanjeep Xess 13 cut the deficit for the Hockey Association of OdishaShilanand Lakra 20 gave Odisha the lead in the second quarter before Ganendrajit Ningombam 25 also found the back of the net to tie the scorelineAfter a goalless third quarter Prasad Kujur 52 and Sudeep Chirmako 52 broke through in quick succession to complete the victory for the Hockey Association of Odisha IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-men-national-hockey-haryana-beat-up-odisha-overcome-manipur-to-meet-in-final-583520.html Fri, 15 Nov 2024 20:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-mens-national-hockey-manipur-haryana-odisha-up-reach-semifinals-583000.html Chennai Nov 13 Manipur Haryana Odisha and Uttar Pradesh emerged victorious in intense quarterfinal action on Day 10 of the 14th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship advancing to the semifinals at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium here on Wednesday In the lastfour stage clashes on Friday Hockey Haryana will clash with Uttar Pradesh Hockey while Manipur Hockey will take on the Hockey Association of Odisha In the first match of the day Manipur Hockey defeated Hockey Punjab 33 43 SO via a shootout in a quarterfinal clash Both teams were locked in a 33 draw in regulation time Cyril Lagun 14 36 51 scored a hattrick for Manipur Hockey For Hockey Punjab Ravneet Singh 24 59 and Maninder Singh 18 were the goal scorersIn the ensuing shootout Manipur Hockeys goalkeeper Hemam Dhanaraj Singh made two crucial saves while Nilakanta Sharma who was on target twice Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh and Khadangbam Kothajit Singh successfully converted their chances to secure the win for Manipur HockeyIn the second quarterfinal Hockey Haryana beat Hockey Maharashtra 51 Maharashtra were leading for the majority of the encounter through an early breakthrough from Aniket Gaurav 12 However Haryana rallied in the final quarter to score five goals Rohit 53 59 60 led the charge with a late hat trick along with goals from Rajinder Singh 48 and Pankaj 54 to complete the victory for HaryanaUttar Pradesh Hockey defeated Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu 31 in the third quarterfinal Chandan Singh 3 struck first to break the deadlock for Uttar Pradesh Shanmugavel S 9 provided the equaliser for Tamil Nadu before Rajkumar Pal 18 and Captain Lalit Kumar Upadhyay 34 added to Uttar Pradeshs tally and ensured victoryIn the last quarterfinal the Hockey Association of Odisha defeated Hockey Karnataka 31 SO after both teams were locked in a 33 draw Pruthvi Raj GN 5 gave Hockey Karnataka the lead followed by goals from Bharath Mahalingappa Kurtakoti 11 and Vishwas G 26 The scorers for Odisha were Mangal Lohar 14 Shilanand Lakra 20 and Pratap Lakra 50In the shootout Hockey Association of Odishas goalkeeper Sahil Kumar Nayak only conceded once while Sudeep Chirmako Matiyas Dang and Shilanand Lakra found the back of the net to pave their path into the semifinals IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-mens-national-hockey-manipur-haryana-odisha-up-reach-semifinals-583000.html Wed, 13 Nov 2024 20:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/clean-sheet-key-to-boosting-indias-confidence-says-coach-harendra-after-4-0-win-over-malaysia--582265.html Rajgir Bihar Nov 11 The Indian womens hockey team kicked off their campaign in the Womens Asian Champions Trophy 2024 with a dominant 40 victory over Malaysia The win highlighted by goals from Sangita Kumari 8 55 Preeti Dubey 43 and Udita 44 saw the Indian side get off to a solid start in the tournament Despite a promising attacking display the Indian head coach Harendra Singh highlighted the teams defensive resilience and believes keeping a clean sheet will build their confidence for the upcoming gamesI want to congratulate my team for winning the match by four goals and keeping a clean sheet Winning league matches without conceding a goal is important as it boosts the teams confidence Malaysia also had a solid defensive structure Harendra told IANSIndia must secure a topfour finish among the six teams to advance to the semifinals on November 19 The winners will then progress to the final scheduled for November 20This tournament is the first Asian competition for the Indian womens team under chief coach Harendra Singh and he went on to emphasise the teams approach of taking it a game at a time ahead of their upcoming fixturesWe are preparing match by match Our next game is against Korea followed by a match with China We need to focus on each match to avoid any mistakes China is a strong team but we are prepared he addedIndian captain Salima Tete reflected on the teams victory and acknowledged the significance of the tournament being played at the Rajgir Sports Complex as it is the firstever international hockey tournament being played in BiharWe didnt play as well in the beginning especially in the first and second quarters However in the third and fourth periods we showed great improvement Our team played attacking hockey and we will continue this approach in our upcoming matchesWhen asked about her roots in Jharkhand Salima responded I am from Jharkhand but I am currently the captain of the Indian team For us India matters Players come from both Bihar and Jharkhand and I hope that in the future we will see more players emerging from Bihar at the national level Salima told IANS IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/clean-sheet-key-to-boosting-indias-confidence-says-coach-harendra-after-4-0-win-over-malaysia--582265.html Mon, 11 Nov 2024 22:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/bihar-cm-nitish-kumar-to-inaugurate-asian-womens-hockey-cship-in-rajgir-582110.html Patna Nov 11 Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will inaugurate the Womens Asian Champions Trophy in Rajgir on Monday at 445 pm The tournaments first day features three matches Japan takes on South Korea at 1215 pm followed by China facing Thailand at 230 pm and finally India plays against Malaysia at 445 pmAsian Hockey Federation and hosts Hockey India have rescheduled the matches for the Womens Asian Champions Trophy in Rajgir Bihar Originally the games were scheduled for later in the day with the first match at 300 pm the second at 515 pm and the final match at 730 pm This adjustment was made in consultation with the organising committee which received feedback from teams and observed training under floodlightsHockey India chief Dilip Tirkey highlighted that this decision prioritises the safety of players fans and all involved ensuring a smooth and highstandard experience He also emphasised the excitement in Bihar for the tournament noting the historical significance of holding such an event at a new venueA total of six teams are participating in this championship Indian captain Salima Tete emphasised the importance of this tournament as a preparation ground for the upcoming World Cup expressing the teams dedication to focusing on each match rather than fixating on overall outcomesThis is an opportunity for young players to gain valuable experience ahead of the 2026 World Cup The squad is prepared to compete fiercely especially against Malaysia in their opening match Salima said She noted the importance of giving young players the freedom to play assertively on the field underscoring the challenges presented by every team in todays competitive environmentShe also reflected on the significance of hosting the tournament on home soil under Indian coaching calling it a rare and fortunate moment for Indian womens hockey Salima also expressed her gratitude to the Bihar state government and the Sports Ministry acknowledging their support in organising the tournament IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/bihar-cm-nitish-kumar-to-inaugurate-asian-womens-hockey-cship-in-rajgir-582110.html Mon, 11 Nov 2024 14:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/defending-champions-india-to-begin-womens-asian-champions-trophy-2024-campaign-against-malaysia-581980.html Rajgir Nov 10 The Indian womens hockey team is keen to begin their title defence against Malaysia at the Womens Asian Champions Trophy 2024 on Monday The very first international hockey tournament in Bihar will be held from November 11 to 20 featuring Paris Olympics silver medallists China as well as Japan Korea Malaysia and Thailand at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium Led by captain Salima Tete and vicecaptain Navneet Kaur India will commence their campaign against Malaysia on November 11 The Indian team has a good record against Malaysia in recent times having defeated them 50 in the Womens Asian Champions Trophy 2023 and 60 in the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 Before that India had registered a comprehensive 90 victory against Malaysia in the Womens Asia Cup 2022This is the first time I will be leading the team out in a major international tournament and I am proud that I have been trusted with this responsibility The mood of the team is very good and we are eager to get the Bihar Womens Asian Champions Trophy Rajgir 2024 underway We play against Malaysia first but our minds are set that we need to play as a team not as individuals and we will win all our matches This experience will also help us prepare for our mission to qualify for the next Olympics We are ready now is the time to show everyone that we are a very fit highlevel team capable of beating the best teams in the world Salima Tete sharedTheir contest against Malaysia will be followed by a match against Korea on November 12 After a day of rest India will face Thailand on November 14 On November 16 India will challenge Paris Olympics silver medallists China and conclude the pool stage with a match against Japan on November 17India must secure a topfour finish among the six teams to advance to the semifinals on November 19 The winners will then progress to the final scheduled for November 20 This tournament marks the Indian Womens teams first Asian competition under chief coach Harendra Singh who took charge earlier this yearThe teams body language has changed in the last few months at this point we are all well aware of our roles and responsibilities The Bihar Womens Asian Champions Trophy Rajgir 2024 is a big platform for the team to excel and showcase our potential This is the first step towards the mission LA28 and the team is eager to show everyone that we are on the right path Harendra Singh added IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/defending-champions-india-to-begin-womens-asian-champions-trophy-2024-campaign-against-malaysia-581980.html Sun, 10 Nov 2024 16:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-mens-national-hockey-odisha-puducherry-jharkhand-and-maharashtra-emerge-victorious-on-day-7-582001.html Chennai Nov 10 The seventh day of the 14th Hockey India Senior Mens National Championship held at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai featured victories by Hockey Association of Odisha Le Puducherry Hockey Hockey Jharkhand and Hockey Maharashtra in their respective pool matches In the first clash of the day the Hockey Association of Odisha defeated Hockey Arunachal 90 in Pool E Amandeep Lakra 5 25 Ajay Kumar Ekka 15 50 and Kerobin Lakra 47 53 scored twice each while Nilam Sanjeep Xess 11 Pratap Lakra 23 and Sudeep Chirmako 35 scored once for Hockey Association of OdishaLe Puducherry Hockey defeated Hockey Rajasthan 132 For Le Puducherry Hockey T Arun Kumar 3 21 25 26 Mahendran P 2 7 29 32 and R Ranjith 8 37 42 50 netted four goals each along with a contribution from captain Veerathamizan V 55 Captain Virendra Singh 15 and Keshav Pandey 47 were the scorers for Hockey RajasthanIn Pool G Hockey Jharkhand defeated Hockey Gujarat 182 For Hockey Jharkhand Atish Dodrai 9 11 49 60 top scored with four goals while Dilbar Barla 2 16 38 and captain Simon Badra 18 23 42 scored a hattrick Daniyal Soy 37 45 registered a brace along with goals from Junul Purti 17 Sunil Xaxa 26 Birsa Oreya 28 Michael Topno 31 Anurud Bhengra 34 and Joseph Topno 59 For Hockey Gujarat Meet Gajera 5 and Neel Ajay Patel 25 were the goal scorersIn another Pool G fixture Hockey Maharashtra defeated Goans Hockey 50 All five goals were scored in the first half of the match with Captain Devindar Sunil Walmiki 2 giving Maharashtra the early lead Pratap Shinde 17 Aditya Lalage 21 Aniket Gurav 23 and Ajinkya Jadhav 26 also converted chances IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-mens-national-hockey-odisha-puducherry-jharkhand-and-maharashtra-emerge-victorious-on-day-7-582001.html Sun, 10 Nov 2024 19:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/korea-thailand-and-malaysia-arrive-in-rajgir-for-womens-asian-champions-trophy-2024-581618.html Rajgir Nov 8 Korea Thailand and Malaysia arrived in Rajgir Bihar on Friday ahead of the Womens Asian Champions Trophy 2024 The premier Asian hockey competition will take place from November 11 to 20 featuring defending champions India Japan and Olympic silver medallists China as well Korea who are tied with China as the secondbest ranked team in the competition have arrived with a new look squad for the continental tournament They will face Japan on the opening day and their encounter against India is scheduled for November 12 All opponents in the competition are strong so we have to take it game by game and focus on our game The new players in the squad are mostly younger filled with pace and physically stronger We are building the team with a target to do well in the Asian Games and the Bihar Womens Asian Champions Trophy Rajgir 2024 is a good stage to test the team It is always a pleasure to play hockey in India we are looking forward to some intense matches Koreas captain Cheon Eunbi commented Meanwhile Thailand the lowestranked team in the competition will have to face Olympic silver medallists China in their first game of the tournament And they will face hosts India on November 14 Thailand head coach Bae Young Wook expressed his optimism ahead of the tournament saying It was a great experience when we played in Ranchi last time we have been to India quite a few times and it is always an enjoyable experience The team is filled with younger players mostly from the under21 team and we have seven seniors to guide them throughout the tournament The team has prepared well and we are looking to make it to the semi final at least Malaysia will take on defending champions and host India in their first match of the Womens Asian Champions Trophy 2024 Malaysia arrived with four players yet to make their debut and five players who recently made their senior debut against Wales We have been in India a few times now and the Indian team always challenges us on the pitch The venue looks nice I hope the matches will be interesting The team is mostly filled with youngsters and it will be good to give them some highlevel match experience here This younger lot along with the senior players makes for a good combination we are eager to see how they will fare against teams like India and China Malaysia head coach Ibrahim Nasihin revealedIndia will open their Womens Asian Champions Trophy 2024 campaign against Malaysia at 730 pm IST on November 11 The tournament will be telecast on Sony Sports Ten 1 and live stream on SonyLiv In addition all India matches will be televised on DD Sports IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/korea-thailand-and-malaysia-arrive-in-rajgir-for-womens-asian-champions-trophy-2024-581618.html Fri, 08 Nov 2024 19:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-mens-national-hockey-delhi-karnataka-bengal-ap-win-group-matches-on-day-2-580561.html Chennai Nov 5 Teams from Delhi Karnataka Bengal and Hockey Andhra Pradesh emerged victorious with great performances on Day 2 of the 14th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium here on Tuesday In Pool F Delhi Hockey defeated Hockey Jammu amp Kashmir 60 Nitesh 34 58 top scored with two goals while Bharat 3 Govind Singh Bisht 14 Captain Mukul Sharma 21 and Vikas Upadhyay 23 scored a goal each for Delhi HockeyHockey Uttarakhand secured a 50 victory following a forfeit by Tripura Hockey in Pool DIn another Pool D clash Hockey Karnataka defeated Hockey Chandigarh 51 For Karnataka Mohammed Raheel Mouseen 41 48 scored a brace while Surya NM 10 Bharat Mahalingappa Kurtakoti 19 and Manjeet 59 netted goals as well Sunil 29 scored the only goal for Hockey ChandigarhHockey Bengal defeated Assam Hockey 100 in a Pool H fixture Raushan Kumar 10 12 30 spearheaded the attack with a hattrick along with a brace by Captain Rajendra Oram 4 58 Avoy Ekka 19 Alsem Lakra 20 Milan Saha 31 Sunil Jojo 41 and Nitish Neupane 48 added their names to the scoresheet as wellIn Pool C Hockey Andhra Pradesh defeated Hockey Andaman amp Nicobar 130 Lekalla Hitesh Rao 13 15 21 41 48 55 56 found exceptional form to score seven goals Amongst the other scorers were Rayudu Veera Venkata Rahul Pranay 5 K Harsha Kamal Teja 6 Galla Siva Pramod 30 Tatiparthi Aron Saroj Anand Raj 33 Maddimeni Rajesh 38 and Venu Gorela Gopal 49The final clash of the day saw Hockey Madhya Pradesh locked in a 22 draw against Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu in a Pool C encounter It was Love Kumar Kanojiya 35 and Akshay Dubey 42 who gave Hockey Madhya Pradesh a 20 lead However Selvaraj Kanagaraj 42 reduced the deficit before Shanmugavel S 53 scored a late equaliser IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-mens-national-hockey-delhi-karnataka-bengal-ap-win-group-matches-on-day-2-580561.html Tue, 05 Nov 2024 19:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-multiple-medal-winner-jacob-whetton-signs-up-for-delhi-based-franchise-580165.html New Delhi Nov 4 Jacob Jake Whetton of Australia has joined the Delhibased franchise for the upcoming season of Hockey India League HIL Whetton brings with him a wealth of experience having played 253 matches for the Australia scoring 75 goals Nicknamed Whetty he was a part of the Australian team that won the silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics losing to Belgium in a shootout in the finalA highly decorated player with multiple achievements to his credit Whetton is a 2014 World Cup winner twice FIH Pro League Winner threetimes Commonwealth Games gold medallist and twice Champions Trophy winner besides his silver medal at Tokyo 2020The 33yearold midfielder from Queensland will replace Jorrit Croon of Netherlands who is yet to recover completely from an ankle injury and had to pull out due to injury concernsDelhi SG Pipers mens coach Graham Reid welcomed Whetton into the Pipers family Its never easy to replace a player of Jorrit Croons caliber Unfortunately his recovery from the ankle injury isnt progressing as hoped which has led us to make this difficult decision Reid saidOn a brighter note I am thrilled to welcome Jacob Whetton to the SG Delhi Pipers for the 2024 season Jacobs experience and skill set will be invaluable in filling the void left by Jorrit His ability to control the midfield aligns perfectly with our game strategy and I have known Jacob since 2009 so he is wellacquainted with my coaching style Im excited about the energy and expertise he will bring to our team IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-multiple-medal-winner-jacob-whetton-signs-up-for-delhi-based-franchise-580165.html Mon, 04 Nov 2024 17:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-mens-hockey-national-up-karnataka-chandigarh-manipur-mp-tn-win-on-day-1-580227.html Chennai Nov 4 Uttar Pradesh Hockey Hockey Karnataka Hockey Chandigarh Manipur Hockey Hockey Madhya Pradesh and Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu began their campaigns with victories in their respective encounters in the 14th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium The action commenced with a Pool F encounter that saw Uttar Pradesh Hockey defeat Kerala Hockey 60 Arun Sahani 3 52 led the attack with a brace while Chandhan Singh 21 captain Lalit Kumar Upadhyay 32 Shibam Anand 55 and Faraz Mohd 57 also contributed with goals as wellIn Pool D Hockey Karnataka defeated Hockey Uttarakhand 100 Mohammed Raheel Mouseen 20 38 53 was the top scorer with three goals along with Abharan Sudevs 16 37 brace Poovana CB 7 Rahul CJ 15 Bharat Mahalingappa Kurtakoti 39 captain Somaiah Kuppanda 52 and Surya NM 55 etched their names on the scoresheet as wellIn another Pool D clash Hockey Chandigarh registered a 50 victory following a forfeit by Tripura HockeyManipur Hockey defeated Hockey Bihar 191 in a Pool H encounter Cyril Lugun 9 21 52 Ningombam Jenjen Singh 19 23 50 Laishram Dipu Singh 26 36 39 and Bhakar Ningobam 41 53 55 impressed with hattricks Meanwhile Thounaojam Luwang 13 59 Moirangthem Dhananjoy Meetei 10 16 Ningobam Singh Abung 38 Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh 38 and Waribam Nirajkumar Singh 41 added to Manipur Hockeys tally as well Jony Kumar 49 was the sole scorer for Hockey BiharIn Pool C Hockey Madhya Pradesh defeated Hockey Andaman amp Nicobar 290 A flurry of goals came from captain Yousuf Affan 8 21 30 39 42 55 as he scored six goals Mohammad Zaid Khan 2 16 46 49 51 was also lethal with five goals and Akshay Dubey 9 10 14 58 found the back of the net on four occasions amongst the other scorers MohdNizamuddin 4 6 50 Mohd Umar 15 40 44 struck hattricks while Swapnil Kawadkar 17 57 Shreyas Dhupe 27 59 Arjun Sharma 24 60 Armaan Qureshi 20 and Sourabh Pashine 29 also netted goalsIn the final clash of the day Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu defeated Hockey Andhra Pradesh 70 Captain Karthi S 16 57 scored a brace while Selvaraj Kangaraj 21 Dhilipan 38 J Joshua Bendedict Wesley 40 Manojkumar 41 and Mareeswaran Sakthivel 49 scored a goal each for Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sr-mens-hockey-national-up-karnataka-chandigarh-manipur-mp-tn-win-on-day-1-580227.html Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/senior-men-hockey-nationals-set-to-begin-in-chennai-on-monday-579807.html New Delhi Nov 3 The 14th edition of the Senior Men Hockey National Championship is set to kick off on Monday at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai Tamil Nadu A total of 31 teams divided into eight pools will compete in the tournament which will run until November 16 During the league stage each team will play against every other team in their pool The top team from each pool will advance to the quarterfinals on November 13 followed by the semifinals on November 15 and the final and 3rd4th place playoff on November 16Pool A features defending champions Hockey Punjab along with Dadra amp Nagar Haveli And Daman amp Diu Hockey and Chhattisgarh Hockey Pool B includes Hockey Haryana Telangana Hockey Hockey Himachal and Hockey Mizoram Pool C comprises Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu Hockey Madhya Pradesh Hockey Andhra Pradesh and Hockey Andaman amp Nicobar Pool D includes Hockey Karnataka Hockey Chandigarh Hockey Uttarakhand and Tripura HockeyIn Pool E Hockey Association of Odisha will compete with Le Puducherry Hockey Hockey Rajasthan and Hockey Arunachal Pool F includes Uttar Pradesh Hockey Delhi Hockey Kerala Hockey and Hockey Jammu and Kashmir Pool G consists of Hockey Jharkhand Hockey Maharashtra Goans Hockey and Hockey Gujarat Pool H features Manipur Hockey Hockey Bengal Hockey Bihar and Assam HockeyThe tournament will open with a series of matches including Uttar Pradesh Hockey vs Kerala Hockey and Hockey Karnataka vs Hockey Uttarakhand among other exciting fixtures setting the stage for a thrilling championshipHockey India president Dilip Tirkey expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming tournament saying We are delighted to host the 14th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship in Chennai a city with a rich hockey legacy This championship provides a platform for showcasing the best talent from across the country and is a key event in developing the future stars of Indian hockey I wish all the teams the very best as they compete for top honoursEchoing this sentiment Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh added This championship promises to deliver highquality hockey and intense competition We have seen tremendous growth in participation and its heartening to see the enthusiasm from all corners of the country I look forward to some exciting matches as the teams compete for the coveted title IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/senior-men-hockey-nationals-set-to-begin-in-chennai-on-monday-579807.html Sun, 03 Nov 2024 13:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-two-time-olympic-medallist-lily-owsley-joins-delhi-based-franchise-579476.html New Delhi Nov 2 Delhi based franchise has acquired the services of England midfielder and womens hockey superstar Lily Owsley for the upcoming season of Hockey India League HIL Lily Owsley is a highly decorated player with a gold medal in 2016 Rio Olympics and a bronze in 2020 Tokyo apart from several other accomplishmentsOwsley will replace 28yearold Dutch midfielder Xan de Waard from the womens team after she pulled out from this season of the HIL due to personal reasonsLosing Xan de Waard undoubtedly one of the best players in the world is a setback for the team But being able to replace her with a 2time Olympic medal winner Lily Owsley is a big relief said Delhi SG Pipers womens team coach Dave SmolenaarsShe will bring in her experience leadership and high speed play to help the team reach its potential he addedBesides being a twotime Olympic medallist Owsley has also won gold and silver in 2022 and 2014 Commonwealth Games respectively She also has two European Championship medals gold in 2015 London and bronze in 2017 Amstelveen NetherlandsDelhi SG Pipers is owned by SG Sports Media and Entertainment SGSE which is a part of the APL Apollo Group IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hil-two-time-olympic-medallist-lily-owsley-joins-delhi-based-franchise-579476.html Sat, 02 Nov 2024 13:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/decision-to-ax-hockey-from-cwg-is-sad-news-says-india-forward-mandeep-singh-578645.html New Delhi Oct 23 The Indian mens hockey team forward Mandeep Singh called the decision to exclude hockey from the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow sad news for Indian hockey It was a major hockey tournament for us and its sad news for the sport but it is what it is so we will focus on the World Cup and the Asian Games Mandeep Singh told IANS In a major blow to Indias medal hopes in the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow the organisers have dropped hockey cricket wrestling badminton squash and table tennis among others from the sports programme for the coming editionMandeep is a part of the squad that is playing a twogame bilateral series against Germany in New Delhi The first test also the first game being played at the iconic Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in 11 years saw Germany register victory through firsthalf goals by Henrik Mertgens 4 and Lukas Windfeder 30Hockey is a sport where goals can come at any time so after the first goal we all believed we could have scored and should have scored a field goal because we played well and created chances he added when asked his thoughts on the gameDespite what the scoreline suggested India held their fair share of opportunities in the game barring the eight penalty corners and missed penalty stroke India were not clinical with their attempts and hence had to take the loss on the nightIndia defender Jarmanpreet also weighed in on the sides performance and acknowledged the significant backdrop the team was playing inWe played well I think we lacked a little on the field in the starting We will watch the match and work on it and come back strong After 11 years we played in Delhi fans came and supported us please keep supporting Indian Hockey Jarmanpreet told IANSThe Indian mens hockey team went down 20 to reigning World Champion and Olympic silver medallists Germany in the first match of the Bilateral Hockey Series 2024 at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here on Wednesday Henrik Mertgens 4 and Lukas Windfeder 30 found the back of the net for Germany Notably Rajinder Singh made his debut for the Indian mens hockey team in this match IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/decision-to-ax-hockey-from-cwg-is-sad-news-says-india-forward-mandeep-singh-578645.html Thu, 24 Oct 2024 16:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sultan-of-johor-cup-daykins-hat-trick-ends-indias-winning-streak-lose-0-4-to-australia-578476.html Johor Bahru Malaysia Oct 23 Australia ended Indias unbeaten streak at the Sultan of Johor Cup with a resounding 40 win here on Wednesday While Indias forward line struggled to break the Australian defence Daykin Stanger 33 39 53 stood tall in the Australian attack as he scored a hattrick of goals while Patrik Andrew 29 scored the opening goal Despite the loss India continued to lead the points table with nine points while Australia is placed third after New Zealand in second place With three wins in their kitty and one more match left in the roundrobin league India continues to hold on to a potential slot in the finalTable toppers India faced a stiff challenge from the getgo Though India made a promising start Australia resorted to highpress early in the game to control the ball possession The Australians used speed to their advantage and set the momentum they needed to create shots on goal With less than two minutes for the first hooter the Aussie forward line forayed into the striking circle and unleashed a fierce reverse hit but was offtargetThey found another opportunity to score when they earned a PC with just nine seconds on the clock for the first hooter But India goalie Bikramjit Singh made a brave save to end the quarter in a 00 stalemate Inspired by their coach legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh Ali Khan made a grand save off a penalty stroke which India conceded in the 18th minute Quick on the counterattack India earned a PC but the dragflick was deflected by the Aussie defenceIn the following minutes both teams traded PCs before Australias Patrick Andrew drew the first blood in the 29th minute when he managed a brilliant reverse hit from the left flank The 10 lead left India stunned With seconds left on the clock for the halftime break India found a great opportunity to equalise through a PC but the Aussie goalkeeper managed to pad the ball to safetyBuoyed by the 10 lead Australia ended up extending the scoreline to 20 in the 33rd minute when Daykin Stanger got a fine deflection off a reverse hit This was a real setback for India who had to come up with an improvised attack to narrow the leadIn the meantime Australia managed to pump a third goal into the net when Daykin picked up a wellconstructed attack and hoodwinked the Indian defence to take a 30 lead India desperately searched for an opening but the Australian defence was resolute and kept Indias hunt for that elusive goal alive through the fourth quarterSpecial mention to the Aussie goalie Hunter Banyard who was outstanding throughout the game making some incredible saves to keep Indian strikers at bay In the opening minute of the fourth quarter he made a diving save to stop Dilrajs fine shot on goalTo add to Indias woes Daykin scored a hattrick in the 53rd minute With the score reading 40 and only seven minutes of play left India looked for a consolation goal but couldnt convert one IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sultan-of-johor-cup-daykins-hat-trick-ends-indias-winning-streak-lose-0-4-to-australia-578476.html Wed, 23 Oct 2024 19:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/decision-to-axe-hockey-from-cwg-is-sad-news-says-india-forward-mandeep-singh-578502.html New Delhi Oct 23 The Indian mens hockey team forward Mandeep Singh called the decision to exclude hockey from the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow sad news for Indian hockey It was a major hockey tournament for us and its sad news for the sport but it is what it is so we will focus on the World Cup and the Asian Games Mandeep Singh told IANS In a major blow to Indias medal hopes in the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow the organisers have dropped hockey cricket wrestling badminton squash and table tennis among others from the sports programme for the coming editionMandeep is a part of the squad that is playing a twogame bilateral series against Germany in New Delhi The first test also the first game being played at the iconic Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in 11 years saw Germany register victory through firsthalf goals by Henrik Mertgens 4 and Lukas Windfeder 30Hockey is a sport where goals can come at any time so after the first goal we all believed we could have scored and should have scored a field goal because we played well and created chances he added when asked his thoughts on the gameDespite what the scoreline suggested India held their fair share of opportunities in the game barring the eight penalty corners and missed penalty stroke India were not clinical with their attempts and hence had to take the loss on the nightIndia defender Jarmanpreet also weighed in on the sides performance and acknowledged the significant backdrop the team was playing inWe played well I think we lacked a little on the field in the starting We will watch the match and work on it and come back strong After 11 years we played in Delhi fans came and supported us please keep supporting Indian Hockey Jarmanpreet told IANSThe Indian mens hockey team went down 20 to reigning World Champion and Olympic silver medallists Germany in the first match of the Bilateral Hockey Series 2024 at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here on Wednesday Henrik Mertgens 4 and Lukas Windfeder 30 found the back of the net for Germany Notably Rajinder Singh made his debut for the Indian mens hockey team in this match IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/decision-to-axe-hockey-from-cwg-is-sad-news-says-india-forward-mandeep-singh-578502.html Wed, 23 Oct 2024 22:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/field-hockey-will-not-be-part-of-2026-cwg-in-glasgow-sources-578004.html New Delhi Oct 21 Field Hockey will be out from Commonwealth Games CWG Glasgow 2026 say sources Field hockey will not be played in 2026 CWG with the official announcement most probably to be made today Monday sources told IANSThe 2022 edition in Birmingham had featured 19 sports The Glasgow organising team has earlier said they will include just 10 sports in the 2026 GamesAt the 2022 CWG India won 61 medals including 22 of them gold Wrestling 12 weightlifting 10 athletics 8 boxing and table tennis 7 each contributed the most to the overall tallyAlthough field hockey has been part of the Commonwealth Games since 1998 the domination of the Australian mens and womens teams has been a consistent factorThe Australian mens team won gold at all the previous seven editions of the CWG 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 and 2022 The womens team has won the title on four occasions and has a silver and bronzeMeanwhile India have total of six medals The mens team has won three silver medals 2010 2014 and 2022 while womens team have bagged a gold in 2002 followed a silve in 2006 and bronze in 2022 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/field-hockey-will-not-be-part-of-2026-cwg-in-glasgow-sources-578004.html Mon, 21 Oct 2024 11:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/india-name-22-man-squad-for-bilateral-hockey-series-against-germany-577883.html New Delhi Oct 20 India have named the 22man squad for the bilateral hockey series against the reigning World Champions Germany which will be played at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on October 23 and 24 The Indian team will be led by Harmanpreet Singh and Vivek Sagar Prasad will be his deputy The series will witness Rajinder Singh and Aditya Arjun Lagate make their international debutThe Indian team goes into the twomatch series following a successful outing at the Asian Champions Trophy in Hulunbuir China where they defended the title becoming the only Asian team to win the prestigious event five times since its inception in 2011Midfielder Hardik Singh will miss out on the series as he continues to be in rehab for an injury sustained during the Paris Olympic GamesKrishan Bahadur Pathak and Suraj Karkera who will guard Indias goalpost while Jarmanpreet Singh Amit Rohidas Harmanpreet Singh Varun Kumar Sanjay forming the defence lineThe team also includes Sumit Nilam Sanjeep Xess Manpreet Singh Vivek Sagar Prasad Vishnu Kant Singh Nilakanta Sharma Shamsher Singh Mohd Raheen Mouseen and Rajinder SinghMandeep Singh who was rested for the Asian Champions Trophy returns to the forwardline joining Sukhjeet Singh Abhishek Adity Arjun Lalage Dilpreet Singh and Shilanand LakraWe are very excited to take on Germany in the national capital next week India and Germany have shared a strong rivalry in recent years and we are upbeat about playing in New Delhi The team we have picked is an experienced one with several players from the Bronze medalwinning Paris Olympics squadWe will also have Rajinder and Aditya make their international debut during this series they have shown a lot of promise during the training camp and we share their excitement as they prepare to earn their first jersey with the Indian team chief coach Craig Fulton saidIndian squadGoalkeepers Krishan Bahadur Pathak Suraj KarkeraDefenders Jarmanpreet Singh Amit Rohidas Harmanpreet Singh C Varun Kumar Sanjay Sumit Nilam Sanjeep XessMidfielders Manpreet Singh Vivek Sagar Prasad VC Vishnu Kant Singh Nilakanta Sharma Shamsher Singh Mohd Raheel Mouseen Rajinder SinghForwards Mandeep Singh Abhishek Sukhjeet Singh Aditya Arjun Lalage Dilpreet Singh Shilananda Lakra IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/india-name-22-man-squad-for-bilateral-hockey-series-against-germany-577883.html Sun, 20 Oct 2024 12:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sultan-of-johor-cup-india-colts-register-a-dominant-4-2-victory-against-japan-577785.html Johor Bahru Oct 19 The Indian junior mens hockey team made an impressive start at the Sultan of Johor Cup here on Saturday with a stunning 42 win against Japan Goals were scored by Amir Ali 12 Gurjot Singh 36 Anand Sourabh Kushwaha 44 and Ankit Pal 47 in Indias win while Tsubasa Tanaka 26 and Rakusei Yamanaka 57 scored for Japan Indias opening game win was welcomed with a big smile by legendary former India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh who begins his new innings in hockey as coach of the Indian junior mens teamIt was a highoctane match right from the start with India colts playing attacking hockey looking for scoring opportunities early in the game They punctured the Japanese defence when Amir Ali scored a fine field goal in the 12th minute of the matchJapan bounced back from this early setback when Tsubasa Tanaka scored in the 26th minute to equalise This equaliser didnt dent Indias spirit as they stopped Japan from taking a 21 lead when Neo Sato and Yuto Higuchi worked in tandem to set up a fine shot on goal thanks to India goalie Ali Khan who was impressive in the goalpost to make a fine saveSix minutes after the halftime break India regained their lead when Gurjot Singh who had made his senior international debut at the Asian Champions Trophy last month scored a fine field goal He was brilliantly assisted by Mohd Konain Dad to set up this goal and put India in good momentumOnly minutes later Dilraj Singh tactfully helped India earn a crucial PC which helped them extend their lead to a strong 31 in the 44th minute Anand Sourabh Kushwaha was on target as his explosive dragflick flew past Japans goalie Kisho KurodaIndias goalfest continued into the final quarter with Ankit Pal scoring the teams fourth goal in the 47th minute He picked up a rebound from a PC to put the ball past Japans keeper This put India in a formidable positionThough Japan converted a goal in the 57th minute through Rakusei Yamanaka India stayed ahead 42 There were some nervy moments as the match inched towards the final hooter with Indian attackers upping the ante hunting for a fifth goal But Japans goalie Koki Origasa did well to keep the goal at bay as India ended the play with a fine 42 win IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sultan-of-johor-cup-india-colts-register-a-dominant-4-2-victory-against-japan-577785.html Sat, 19 Oct 2024 17:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-womens-national-hockey-haryana-odisha-up-and-karnataka-win-on-fifth-day-577596.html Ranchi Oct 4 State teams from Haryana Chhattisgarh Odisha Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka won their respective matches on the fifth day of the 14th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship 2024 at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium here on Friday The first match of the day saw Hockey Haryana defeat Assam Hockey 110 in Pool C The goalscorers for Hockey Haryana were Kajal 3 Bhteri 7 16 Saavi 13 15 22 Khasa Shashi 18 28 Sejal 27 50 and Mann Ritika 30Chhattisgarh Hockey beat Delhi Hockey 61 in a Pool D clash Janvee Yadav 4 33 55 Molisha Verma 44 Yadav Sheetal 51 and Rukhamani 59 got on the scoresheet for Chhattisgarh Hockey Meanwhile Anshika 36 scored the only goal for Delhi HockeyIn the third match of the day the Hockey Association of Odisha registered a 30 victory against Hockey Bengal in Pool E Tanuja Toppo 27 opened the account for the Hockey Association of Odisha from the penalty spot followed by goals from Captain Mundari Sumi 38 and Bahala Surekha 50Uttar Pradesh Hockey defeated Hockey Himachal 40 in their Pool H encounter Patel Vandana 19 27 began the scoring with a brace for Uttar Pradesh Hockey Kumari Peetambari 34 and Khushi Rathour 58 also pitched in with a goal eachIn the last match of the day Hockey Karnataka defeated Hockey Gujarat 80 in Pool H Meher Kaur Mehta 11 Manasa Ms 19 28 Rakshitha J 40 48 captain Yamuna 51 Chandana TC 52 and Deekshitha D 56 scored to seal the win for Hockey Karnataka IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-womens-national-hockey-haryana-odisha-up-and-karnataka-win-on-fifth-day-577596.html Sat, 05 Oct 2024 00:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sreejesh-appointed-director-and-mentor-of-delhi-sg-pipers-for-hockey-india-league-577572.html Noida Oct 4 Indian hockey legend PR Sreejesh has been appointed as the director and mentor of the Delhi SG Pipers one of the newlyformed teams in the upcoming Hockey India League HIL In his new role Sreejesh will work closely with the head coaches of both the mens and womens teams guiding the players as they prepare for the leagues muchanticipated return During the launch event for the Delhi SG Pipers Sreejesh expressed his excitement about taking on an administrative role promising to be actively involved in shaping the future of the team I look forward to working with the players coaches and team owners in this exciting new role I want to contribute to the success of the team off the field Sreejesh saidThe event was attended by tennis legend and APL Apollo Group CEO Mahesh BhupathiSreejesh also confirmed that he has no plans to return as a player in the HIL despite the leagues comeback after a sevenyear hiatus He explained that his decision to retire from competitive hockey following Indias bronze medal victory at the Paris Olympics marked the ideal end to his playing career I wanted my playing days to end on a high with the Olympic medal he statedSreejesh informed Hockey India president Dilip Tikey of his decision earlier this month and opted out of the player auction for the HIL scheduled to take place in New Delhi from October 13 to 15 Instead Sreejesh will be joining forces with former India coach Graham Reid who has been appointed as the head coach of the Delhi SG Pipers mens team to steer the franchises fortunes from the sidelinesThe return of the HIL was officially announced by Hockey India on Friday marking the end of a sevenyear break for the league The upcoming season will feature eight mens teams and six womens teams with matches set to run from December 28 to February 5 The mens tournament will be hosted in Rourkela while Ranchi will stage the womens competitionThe International Hockey Federation FIH has allocated a dedicated 35day window for the HIL and the league has been granted a 10year sanction by the world body The upcoming player auction will see players listed with base prices of 2 lakh 5 lakh and 10 lakh as teams build their rosters ahead of the season IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sreejesh-appointed-director-and-mentor-of-delhi-sg-pipers-for-hockey-india-league-577572.html Fri, 04 Oct 2024 20:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sweet-memories-of-paris-bronze-nudged-sreejesh-to-accept-a-mentorship-role-in-hockey-india-league-577580.html New Delhi Oct 4 Not many athletes get the opportunity to leave their sport at an alltime high With one of the greatest players in modern Indian hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh sitting out of the Hockey India League HIL auction marks his transition from a player to a mentor In an exclusive conversation with IANS the Hockey legend stated that he wanted to leave the sport at a high and his memories of the Paris Olympics were the perfect platform to bid the sport farewell I had to accept the reality I may have played in the HIL for 12 editions but I discussed the situation with my loved ones and they all said Why do you want to spoil the sweet memories because when I left hockey sitting on the goal posts saying goodbye to the game I want people to remember me for that PR Sreejesh told IANSDubbed the Wall of Indian Hockey legendary goalkeeper Sreejesh had announced before the start of the Paris Olympics that he would retire after the mega eventVowing to Win it for Sreejesh the Indian mens hockey team won the bronze medal match getting the better of Spain in the thirdplace playoff Harmanpreet Singh the top scorer of the Paris 2024 Olympics with 10 goals netted a brace to seal a thrilling 21 victory which saw one of Indias finest bow out at an alltime highIn a glorious career that spanned 18 years Sreejesh made his international debut for India during the 2006 South Asian Games in Sri Lanka and has won 328 caps so farHe was a member of the bronze medalwinning team at the Tokyo Olympics giving India its firstever medal in the sport at the mega quadrennial event since 1980 and went on to replicate the success at the 2024 Games as wellThe 36yearold has now been appointed as the director and mentor of the Delhi SG Pipers one of the newly formed teams in the Hockey India League HILIn his new role Sreejesh will work closely with the head coaches of both the mens and womens teams guiding the players as they prepare for the leagues muchanticipated returnSreejesh had informed Hockey India president Dilip Tikey of his decision earlier this month and opted out of the players auction for the HIL scheduled to take place in New Delhi from October 13 to 15 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sweet-memories-of-paris-bronze-nudged-sreejesh-to-accept-a-mentorship-role-in-hockey-india-league-577580.html Fri, 04 Oct 2024 21:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-league-is-a-dream-come-true-says-hockey-india-president-dilip-tirkey-577586.html New Delhi Oct 4 The reintroduction of the Hockey India League 2024 a tournament that has not taken place since 2017 is a milestone for the sport Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey was ecstatic whilst announcing the venture and went on to claim that it was a dream come true for him Hockey India League was not just my dream but of the entire nation I believe that it is a great platform and it will be one of the best leagues in the world where top players from around the world will be playing in the league from December 28 to February 5The return of the HIL was officially announced by Hockey India on Friday marking the end of a sevenyear break for the league The upcoming season will feature eight mens teams and six womens teams with matches set to run from December 28 to February 5 The mens tournament will be hosted in Rourkela while Ranchi will stage the womens competitionNot only will this be the first HIL that will feature womens teams but in a landmark step Hockey India also announced that both leagues will run simultaneouslyThe announcement of the womens Hockey India League has added to the excitement with the promise of developing the womens national team alongside The advancement of the womens team is of utmost importance The mens team has won successive bronze medals in the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 while the womens team failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics after a fourthplace finish in TokyoI was disappointed that the womens team did not qualify for the Olympics this time Paris 2024 but I guarantee that in the coming World Cup and Olympics the mens team will win a gold medal and the womens team will definitely win a medal too no matter the colour Hockey India Secretary General Bola Nath Singh told IANS IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-league-is-a-dream-come-true-says-hockey-india-president-dilip-tirkey-577586.html Fri, 04 Oct 2024 23:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/mens-amp-womens-franchises-unveiled-as-hockey-india-league-returns-after-7-year-hiatus-577490.html New Delhi Oct 4 The Hockey India League HIL is set to make a historic comeback after a 7year hiatus as the mens and womens franchises for 202425 edition unveiled on Friday The HIL 202425 will feature eight mens teams and six womens teams marking the first time a standalone womens league will run concurrently with the mens competitionThe HIL 202425 will see its matches played across two venues Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi Jharkhand and Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela OdishaThe womens league final scheduled for January 26 2025 in Ranchi and the mens final to be held on February 1 2025 in RourkelaEach match will result in a winner with shootouts being introduced for tied games to ensure every encounter concludes decisivelyEight mens franchises and their Owners are Chennai Charles Group Lucknow Yadu Sports Punjab JSW Sports West Bengal Shrachi Sports Delhi SG Sports and Entertainment Odisha Vedanta Limited Hyderabad Resolute Sports Ranchi Navoyam Sports Ventures Private LimitedHaryana JSW Sports West Bengal Shrachi Sports Delhi SG Sports and Entertainment Odisha Navoyam Sports Ventures Private Limited are the four womens franchise unvieled the rest two will be announced after the closure of legal proceedings in the coming daysThe players auction will be held from October 13 to 15 in New Delhi Each franchise will build a 24player squad consisting of at least 16 Indian players with a mandatory inclusion of 4 junior players and 8 international starsMahesh Bhupathi CEO SG Sports and Entertainment said We Are excited to be part of the new wave of Hockey fever in the country and are confident that Hockey India League HIL will grow rapidly in the first few seasonsParth Jindal Founder JSW Sports said The sport is undergoing a revival in the country and we believe we have what it takes to further that charge The states of Punjab and Haryana have been a factory when it comes to producing champion athletes and specifically talented hockey players and through our teams we want to reiterate the contribution of these states to the hockey ecosystem in our country The role of our teams will extend beyond the league and we cannot wait for this journey to begin IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/mens-amp-womens-franchises-unveiled-as-hockey-india-league-returns-after-7-year-hiatus-577490.html Fri, 04 Oct 2024 15:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/a-game-changer-savita-punia-lauds-gender-equality-hockey-india-league-577298.html New Delhi Oct 3 Indian womens hockey goalkeeper and former captain Savita Punia has lauded Hockey Indias commitment to gender equality overall and in the upcoming Hockey India League HIL 202425 For the first time in the history of the HIL the tournament will feature not only mens teams but the womens teams as well with both categories receiving equal prominenceThe HIL 202425 will be held from the last week of December 2024 to the first week of February 2025 in a window sanctioned by the International Hockey Federation FIH The tournament will witness the participation of 8 mens teams and 6 womens teams Notably the mens and womens HIL will run simultaneously marking a unique moment in global sports leaguesSavita expressed her admiration for this initiative stating The mens and womens HIL will run simultaneously which is something that I dont think has happened before in any other sports Hockey India has always ensured that both mens and womens teams are treated equallyFor instance when the mens and womens teams win matches or a competition at the international level the prize money is the same for both This speaks volumes about Hockey Indias dedication to promoting gender equality in sports As a player it feels empowering to be part of an organisation that values the contributions of women athletes just as much as their male counterpartsHockey India has long been committed to maintaining parity between the mens and womens national teams Whether in terms of facilities international exposure or match rewards both teams enjoy equal supportThis includes providing the same financial incentives for winning international matches and equal prize money for securing trophies at international eventsSavita further highlighted the impact of the womens HIL in nurturing emerging talent and said The introduction of a dedicated womens league is a game changer and certainly a huge step forward for Indian hockey For young women athletes this platform will not only allow them to compete at a high level but also improve as players Its a great opportunity to showcase their talent and climb up the ranks and I believe well see some exceptional performances in the coming season IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/a-game-changer-savita-punia-lauds-gender-equality-hockey-india-league-577298.html Thu, 03 Oct 2024 14:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/a-game-changer-savita-punia-lauds-gender-equality-in-hockey-india-league-577340.html New Delhi Oct 3 Indian womens hockey goalkeeper and former captain Savita Punia has lauded Hockey Indias commitment to gender equality overall and in the upcoming Hockey India League HIL 202425 For the first time in the history of the HIL the tournament will feature not only mens teams but the womens teams as well with both categories receiving equal prominenceThe HIL 202425 will be held from the last week of December 2024 to the first week of February 2025 in a window sanctioned by the International Hockey Federation FIH The tournament will witness the participation of 8 mens teams and 6 womens teams Notably the mens and womens HIL will run simultaneously marking a unique moment in global sports leaguesSavita expressed her admiration for this initiative stating The mens and womens HIL will run simultaneously which is something that I dont think has happened before in any other sports Hockey India has always ensured that both mens and womens teams are treated equallyFor instance when the mens and womens teams win matches or a competition at the international level the prize money is the same for both This speaks volumes about Hockey Indias dedication to promoting gender equality in sports As a player it feels empowering to be part of an organisation that values the contributions of women athletes just as much as their male counterpartsHockey India has long been committed to maintaining parity between the mens and womens national teams Whether in terms of facilities international exposure or match rewards both teams enjoy equal supportThis includes providing the same financial incentives for winning international matches and equal prize money for securing trophies at international eventsSavita further highlighted the impact of the womens HIL in nurturing emerging talent and said The introduction of a dedicated womens league is a game changer and certainly a huge step forward for Indian hockey For young women athletes this platform will not only allow them to compete at a high level but also improve as players Its a great opportunity to showcase their talent and climb up the ranks and I believe well see some exceptional performances in the coming season IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/a-game-changer-savita-punia-lauds-gender-equality-in-hockey-india-league-577340.html Thu, 03 Oct 2024 17:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-women-national-hockey-mp-haryana-chhattisgarh-and-odisha-win-on-day-3-577194.html Ranchi Oct 2 State teams from Madhya Pradesh Haryana Chhattisgarh and Hockey Association of Odisha had a fruitful day as they registered wins in their respective group stage matches on Day 3 of the ongoing 14th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship here on Wednesday In the first match of the day Hockey Madhya Pradesh won 120 against Kerala Hockey in Pool A Khushi Katariya 2 15 56 58 stood out to be the top goal scorer after scoring four goals Captain Bhumiksha Sahu 4 18 59 also scored a hattrick to strengthen Hockey Madhya Pradeshs position in the gameSwati 37 50 also scored a brace whereas Huda Khan 23 Kajal 32 and Palak Gupta 46 also scored one goal each to take the game further away from their opponent Kerala HockeyIn the next match Hockey Haryana beat Manipur Hockey 62 in Pool C Pooja Malik 13 13 47 scored a hattrick for Hockey Haryana joined by Kajal 20 Ravina 22 and Shashi Khasa 33 who also scored a goal eachIn reply Eleena Keisam Devi 30 38 scored a brace for Manipur Hockey but fell short of surpassing Hockey Haryana before the final whistleIn the other match Chhattisgarh Hockey defeated Le Puducherry Hockey 30 Both the teams showed magnificent defence against each other but Le Puducherry couldnt stop Sheetal Yadav 17 39 45 as she scored all the goals for her side Chhattisgarh Hockey to win the matchIn the fourth match of the day the Hockey Association of Odisha defeated Hockey Bihar 100 Tanuja Toppo 3 57 and Karuna Minz 49 58 scored two goals each whereas Jyoti Xaxa 6 Priya Toppo 15 Binati Minz 30 Anandita Toppo 40 captain Mundari Sumi 47 and Surekha Bahala 48 scored one goal each to secure another victory in the tournamentIn the next match Hockey Himachal Pradesh defeated Hockey Gujarat 72 Captain Sonali 3 Mahima Chauhan 4 Gurpreet Kaur 20 Sonam Rana 38 Kajal 42 Khushi Verma 43 and Riyika 52 scored for Hockey Himachal Pradesh On the other hand Dhruviba Parmar 18 32 scored a brace for Hockey Gujarat IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-women-national-hockey-mp-haryana-chhattisgarh-and-odisha-win-on-day-3-577194.html Wed, 02 Oct 2024 20:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-womens-hockey-nationals-chandigarh-up-jharkhand-maharashtra-win-on-day-1-576799.html Ranchi Sep 30 Hockey Maharashtra Hockey Chandigarh Uttar Pradesh Hockey and Hockey Jharkhand registered wins in actionpacked matches in their respective groups on Day 1 of the prestigious 14th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship 2024 on Monday The match between Hockey Punjab and Hockey Jammu amp Kashmir was officially forfeited in favour of Hockey Punjab In the first match Hockey Maharashtra defeated Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey 80 in Pool G Tanushree Dinesh Kadu 28 37 58 scored a hattrick for her side whereas Sanika Chandrakant Mane 3 36 and Diksha Nitin Shinde 22 39 scored a brace each for Hockey Maharashtra Nikku Gurjar 48 also scored one goal to take the game further away from their opponentIn the other match in the group Hockey Chandigarh secured their first win of the tournament after defeating Hockey Arunachal 30 Damanpreet Kaur 42 52 scored a couple of goals joined by Manpreet Kaur 10 who also scored a goal to help her team open the account on the points tableIn the next match Uttar Pradesh Hockey defeated Hockey Gujarat 90 Purnima Yadav 3 24 42 53 scored one goal in each quarter to put a strong foot forward in the gameKhushi Rathour 19 28 also scored two goals whereas Captain Suneeta Kumari 11 Vandana Patel 15 and Garima Maurya 46 also scored one goal eachIn the last match on Monday Hockey Jharkhand defeated Hockey Rajasthan 210 Shanti Kumari 13 17 50 51 54 57 stood out to be the top goal scorer as she scored six goals throughout the game Rajni Kerketta 3 20 25 49 also scored four goals each whereas Sweety Dungdung 7 7 11 and Roshni Aind 14 40 47 scored a hattrick to put their team in a strong position in the gamePurnima Bawa 24 34 and Captain Edlin Bage 45 52 also scored a brace each Sisliya Sandi Purty 26 also scored one goal to take the game further away from Hockey RajasthanThe other match of Pool F between Hockey Punjab and Hockey Jammu amp Kashmir was officially forfeited 50 iin favourof Hockey Punjab IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-womens-hockey-nationals-chandigarh-up-jharkhand-maharashtra-win-on-day-1-576799.html Tue, 01 Oct 2024 00:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-womens-national-hockey-punjab-arunachal-maharashtra-karnataka-in-their-matches-on-day-2-577016.html Ranchi Oct 1 State teams from Punjab Arunachal Maharashtra Karnataka and Jharkhand won their respective matches on Day 2 of the 14th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship 2024 here on Tuesday In the first match of the day Hockey Punjab defeated Hockey Andhra Pradesh 63 Sukhveer Singh 20 51 54 scored a hattrick for Hockey Punjab whereas Sukhpreet Kaur 52 59 scored a brace and Namneet Kaur 35 also scored one goal to put a total of six goals on the scorecard In response Sreevidya Thirumalasetty 47 56 scored a brace for Hockey Andhra Pradesh joined by Bobbili Jhansi 43 who also scored one goalIn the next match Hockey Arunachal beat Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey 30 Supriya Chauhan 30 opened the account for Hockey Arunachal just before the halftime whistle was blown Hema Sri S 47 and captain Lokam Loni 54 also scored one goal each towards the end of the game to take the game further away from their opponentsIn the other match Hockey Maharashtra defeated Hockey Chandigarh 21 in a thrilling encounter Pooja 54 scored for Hockey Chandigarh in the final quarter and took the lead against her opponentBut in an interesting turn of events Sanika Chandrakant Mane 58 59 scored two backtoback goals in the final minutes to snatch the victory for her team Hockey MaharashtraIn the other match Hockey Karnataka defeated Hockey Himachal 41 Rakshitha J 5 51 scored a brace for Hockey Karnataka whereas Manasa Ms 19 and captain Yamuna 34 also scored one goal each On the other hand Sonam Rana 18 could score the consolation goal for Hockey HimachalIn the last match of the day Hockey Jharkhand defeated the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu 110 Roshni Aind 21 34 44 and Rajni Kerketta scored a hattrick for Hockey Jharkhand Pinki Kumari 3 55 also scored two goals in the first and the last quarter to maintain the lead Sweety Dungdung 6 Ankita Minz 47 and Kullu Niru 51 also scored one goal each IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-womens-national-hockey-punjab-arunachal-maharashtra-karnataka-in-their-matches-on-day-2-577016.html Tue, 01 Oct 2024 23:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-mens-national-hockey-up-odisha-punjab-haryana-secure-semis-spots-576794.html Chandigarh Sep 30 Teams from Uttar Pradesh Hockey Association of Odisha Punjab and Haryana won their respective quarterfinal matches to secure their spots in the semifinals of the 14th Hockey India Subjunior Mens National Championship at the Astroturf Hockey Stadium Sports Complex Sector 42 here on Monday Uttar Pradesh Hockey will face Hockey Punjab while Hockey Association of Odisha will face Hockey Haryana in the semifinals on Wednesday In the first quarterfinal of the day Uttar Pradesh Hockey defeated Hockey Jharkhand 43 Ujjwal Pal 7 gave Uttar Pradesh Hockey the lead followed by goals from Ajay Kumar Gond 12 Prahalad Rajbhar 32 and captain Ketan Kushwaha 60 Meanwhile Hassa Patras 35 39 and Purti Ashish Tani 13 scored for Hockey JharkhandIn another quarterfinal the Hockey Association of Odisha defeated Dadra amp Nagar Haveli And Daman amp Diu Hockey 50 Sujit Barla 30 41 and Mandeep Kerketta 45 59 scored braces while Mithles Kerketta 46 also found the back of the net to secure the victoryHockey Punjab defeated Hockey Madhya Pradesh 21 Sunny 20 21 netted twice in quick succession for Hockey Punjab Captain Aashir Adil Khan 40 scored the only goal for Hockey Madhya PradeshIn another quarterfinal of the day Hockey Haryana defeated Hockey Chandigarh 10 in a closelyfought contest Rohit Singh 41 broke the deadlock to secure a SemiFinal berth for Hockey Haryana IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-mens-national-hockey-up-odisha-punjab-haryana-secure-semis-spots-576794.html Mon, 30 Sep 2024 23:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-mens-hockey-nationals-ap-chattisgarh-bengal-kerala-win-on-day-7-576547.html Chandigarh Sep 29 Hockey Andhra Pradesh Chhattisgarh Hockey Hockey Bengal and Kerala Hockey secure victories in their respective matches on Day 7 of the 14th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship at the Astroturf Hockey Stadium Sports Comple Hockey Andhra Pradesh defeated Hockey Uttarakhand 43 in a Pool A clash Kalyan Ganja 12 Devatha Yashwant 41 Shaik Irfan 50 and Poola Balaji 58 were on target for Hockey Andhra PradeshMeanwhile Ayush Kalura 15 Govind Singh 22 and Vishal Kumar 48 scored for Hockey UttarakhandIn a Pool B fixture Chhattisgarh Hockey defeated Hockey Rajasthan 63 Abhishek Yadav 7 51 52 scored three goals while Liyansh Sarthi 6 Captain Aanand Kumar Suryavanshi 20 and Lavi Manikpuri 43 also contributed for Chhattisgarh Tanveer Singh 4445 and Sachin Choudhary 31 were the scorers for RajasthanIn Pool C Hockey Bengal defeated Telangana Hockey 21 Aman Kumar Thakur 14 and Captain Karan Shaw 44 ensured the victory for Hockey Bengal while Sujeet Rajbhar 34 scored the sole goal for Telangana HockeyIn the final clash of the day Kerala Hockey defeated Assam Hockey 92 For Kerala Ashin MA was clinical 19 21 24 49 as he scored four goals Kolnati Ram 11 16 Ekka Jiwan 3 Aditya Lakra 46 and Nidhin T 52 also found the back of the net Saddique Ahmed 13 and Jensing Bey 38 scored the only goals for AssamFollowing the days results the quarterfinal matchups are set Uttar Pradesh Hockey will face Hockey Jharkhand Hockey Association of Odisha will go up against Dadra amp Nagar Haveli and Daman amp Diu Hockey Hockey Haryana will clash with Hockey Chandigarh and Hockey Madhya Pradesh will battle it out with Hockey Punjab on Monday IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-mens-hockey-nationals-ap-chattisgarh-bengal-kerala-win-on-day-7-576547.html Sun, 29 Sep 2024 19:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-mens-national-hockey-himachal-tn-odisha-mp-win-their-matches-on-day-5-576225.html Chandigarh Sep 27 State teams from Himachal Pradesh Jharkhand Uttar Pradesh Hockey Association of Odisha Madhya Pradesh and Haryana came up with impressive performances as they won their respective matches on Day 5 of the 14th Hockey India Subjunior Men National Championship at the Astroturf Hockey Stadium Sports Complex Sector 42 here on Friday In the first match of the day Hockey Himachal Pradesh secured a 20 victory over Le Puducherry Hockey in a Pool H encounter Manpreet Singh 28 34 scored both goals to seal the winIn another Pool H clash Hockey Jharkhand defeated Delhi Hockey 64 in a highscoring match Purti Ashish Tani 7 48 58 led the charge for Jharkhand with a hattrick supported by goals from Faguwa Horo 10 Nicholas Topno 13 and Ganga Topno 28 For Delhi Afridi scored thrice 33 35 46 while Anik Kumar 50 added a late goalIn a Pool A clash Uttar Pradesh Hockey thrashed Hockey Uttarakhand 210 Shahrukh Ali 25 39 35 46 47 was the standout performer netting five goals while Ujjwal Pal 7 18 36 60 also had a remarkable game scoring four times Additional contributions came from Ashvani Singh 2 26 Rahul Yadav 9 55 Ajay Kumar Gond 23 38 Mohd Aqib Raynee 21 53 Raghavendra Singh Chauhan 44 44 Rajbhar Prahalad 34 and Ketan Kushawa 51 showcasing a comprehensive team performanceIn a Pool B encounter the Hockey Association of Odisha secured a convincing 81 victory over Chhattisgarh Hockey Mithles Kerketta 4 9 was instrumental scoring two goals while Salman Lakra 49 58 Also had an impactful outing Goals came from Bimal Lakra 15 Sujit Barla 43 Mandeep Kerketta 50 and Bishal Kaetha 51 Liyansh Sarthi 22 scored the sole goal for Chhattisgarh HockeyIn a Pool C match Hockey Haryana outplayed Hockey Bengal 50 Chirag 10 42 was a key player scoring two goals along with Ronak Rana 48 59 Nikhil 46 contributed to the scoreline as wellIn the last encounter of the day Hockey Madhya Pradesh defeated Assam Hockey 131 Captain Aashir Adil Khan 9 18 59 led with three goals while Aditya Raikwar 5 25 Azad Sultani 23 60 and Karan Gautam 39 57 scored braces Subhan Abid 3 Ekka Navin 12 Om Patwa 29 and Ranveer Parochi 51 also chipped in with a goal each Meanwhile Jensing Bey 31 scored the only goal for Assam HockeyIn a late evening clash on Thursday hosts Hockey Chandigarh registered a 170 victory over Hockey Jammu amp Kashmir in Pool F Misbah Khan 19 23 42 43 led the way with four goals while Gurjeet Singh 2 35 Fateh Singh 6 8 and Prince Singh 13 21 each added two goals Sukhmanpreet Singh 24 43 also netted a brace Sah Surja Kumar 17 Amit Singh 28 Sahil Duhan 29 Sohi Manrajdeep Singh 37 and Puneet Indora 39 completed the scoring for Hockey Chandigarh IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-mens-national-hockey-himachal-tn-odisha-mp-win-their-matches-on-day-5-576225.html Fri, 27 Sep 2024 22:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-mens-hockey-team-to-host-germnay-for-two-match-bilateral-series-in-october-575493.html New Delhi Sep 24 Indian mens hockey team will host Germany for a twomatch bilateral hockey series in October here at the national capital the sports national governing body announced on Tuesday Team India is riding high on confidence as they recently retained their Asian Champions Trophy title folloiwng their second successive bronze medal win at Paris OlympicsThe Indian side led by captain Harmanpreet Singh secured the Asian Champions trophy for the fifth time after beating hosts China 10 in the final at the Moqi Hockey Training Base last weekThis bilateral series against Germany will be a remarkable showcase of worldclass hockey Both India and Germany have a rich history in the sport and this series will give fans an opportunity to witness an intense competition between two of the most formidable teams in the world We are honoured to host this event which will not only promote the spirit of hockey but also strengthen the bond between the two nations Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey saidHockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh added The IndiaGermany hockey rivalry has always been a thrilling contest Our players are eager to compete against such a good side and I believe this series will offer both teams a chance to finetune their skills and strategies ahead of future international tournaments We are proud to be part of this IndoGerman collaboration which brings together not just business and diplomacy but also the love of sportThe last time India faced Germany was in the semifinal of the Paris Olympics where the European giants emerged victorious with a 32 winPresident of the German Hockey Federation Henning Fastrichshared India has always been a special place for hockey and our team is excited to play in front of passionate Indian hockey fans This series will be a fantastic opportunity to strengthen the sporting ties between Germany and India while offering both teams a competitive platform to prepare for upcoming global events We look forward to the challenge and the experience of playing at the historic Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/indian-mens-hockey-team-to-host-germnay-for-two-match-bilateral-series-in-october-575493.html Tue, 24 Sep 2024 16:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-womens-hockey-league-odisha-hpc-coe-jharkhand-win-as-phase-1-ends-575303.html Gwalior Sep 23 Odisha Naval Tata Hockey HPC and Centre of Excellence Jharkhand emerged victorious in their respective games as the 4th Khelo India Junior Womens Hockey League 20242025 Phase 1 ended here on Monday Odisha Naval Tata Hockey HPC beat Sports Authority of Gujarat Academy Baroda 51 in their Pool B match Chetna Rani Das 4 6 47 led Odisha Naval Tata Hockey HPCs goalscoring efforts with a hattrick while captain Komal Gurjar 13 30 pitched in with a brace The only goal for Sports Authority of Gujarat Academy Baroda was scored by Thakre Arpana 54In the last match of Phase 1 Centre of Excellence Jharkhand defeated Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy 21 Centre of Excellence Jharkhand took the lead through Saroj Kumari 11 and Sweety Dungdung 29 Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy pulled a goal back through Bhumiksha Sahu 37 but failed to change the outcomeEarlier Centre of Excellence Jharkhand Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy and SAI Bal emerged victorious in their respective games on the sixth day of the event being played in Gwalior Madhya PradeshCentre of Excellence Jharkhand beat Odisha Naval Tata Hockey HPC 70 in their Pool B encounter while Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy registered a comfortable 200 victory against Citizen Hockey XI in Pool B IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-womens-hockey-league-odisha-hpc-coe-jharkhand-win-as-phase-1-ends-575303.html Mon, 23 Sep 2024 18:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-mens-hockey-national-tn-punjab-manipur-arunachal-win-on-opening-day-575365.html Chandigarh Sep 23 Teams from Dadra amp Nagar Haveli And Daman amp Diu Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu Punjab Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh came up with strong performances to secure victories in their respective matches on the opening day of the 14th Hockey India SubJunior Men National Championship at the Astroturf Hockey Stadium Sports Complex Sector 42 here on Monday The first match of the competition was a Pool G clash that saw Dadra amp Nagar Haveli And Daman amp Diu Hockey defeat Goans Hockey 90 Mithlesh Singh 6 25 27 led with three goals while Jitin 14 53 and Sagar 36 49 scored braces Pawan Yadav 29 and captain Ravindra Pratap Yadav 56 also chipped in with contributionsIn another clash the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu defeated Hockey Gujarat 104 Sugumar M 10 22 37 and Renjit 43 50 60 were the top scorers for Tamil Nadu while captain Sundarajith M 33 48 Gowtham 28 and S Lakshmanan Sri 45 scored as well For Hockey Gujarat Tushal Sosa 5 18 and Parmar Rajveer Bhupatbhai 9 51 scored bracesHockey Punjab defeated Hockey Karnataka 82 in a Pool E fixture In a comprehensive team performance Hockey Punjab were powered by braces from Mandeep Singh 13 56 Charanjeet Singh 14 47 Gurwinder Singh 30 55 and Amandeep 41 60 Meanwhile Nitesh Sharma 3 and Suprith G 27 scored for Hockey KarnatakaManipur Hockey defeated Hockey Bihar 60 in another Pool E encounter Manimatum Malbam 18 and Gerik Ningombam Singh 22 gave Manipur the lead in the second quarter before Vishal Warimbam 43 Konthoujam Sanjit Singh 45 Khetrumayum Borish Singh 53 and Nishi Saikhom Singh 58 found the back of the net as wellIn Pool F Hockey Arunachal defeated Hockey Jammu amp Kashmir 90 Kumar Shashank 1 48 MO Sahran 22 58 and Mohd Atif 39 60 scored twice each while Suraj Chaudhari 34 captain Yuvraj Das 38 and Mohd Imran Khan 45 scored a goal each IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-mens-hockey-national-tn-punjab-manipur-arunachal-win-on-opening-day-575365.html Mon, 23 Sep 2024 22:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-womens-hockey-league-jharkhand-centre-mp-academy-sai-bal-win-on-sixth-day-574923.html Gwalior Madhya Pradesh Sep 21 Centre of Excellence Jharkhand Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy and SAI Bal emerged victorious in their respective matches on the sixth day of the Khelo India Junior Womens Hockey League 20242025 Phase 1 here on Saturday The Centre of Excellence Jharkhand beat Odisha Naval Tata Hockey HPC 70 in their Pool B encounter The goalscorers for Centre of Excellence Jharkhand were Rajni Kerketta 8 59 Sweety Dungdung 10 Ankita Minz 30 32 and Roshni 37 49Captain Bhumiksha Sahu struck a double hattrick as Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy registered a comfortable 200 victory against Citizen Hockey XI in Pool B Bhumiksha scored in the 7 8 11 30 32 and 34 minutes as she opened the account for Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy followed by goals from Sneha Patel 13 28 52 Soniya Kumre 18 38 43 Khushi Katariya 22 Rubi Rathore 23 42 Krishna Sharma 41 56 Swati 53 54 and Aayushi Patel 59SAI Bal defeated Sports Authority of Gujarat Academy Baroda 70 in Pool B Sisliya Sandi Purti 15 45 Captain Rukhmani Khushro 19 Nidhi 35 Sakshi 43 Subila Tirkey 44 and Khushi 50 got on the scoresheet for SAI BalEarlier SAI Shakti SAI Bal and Sports Authority of Gujarat Academy Baroda emerged victorious in their respective gamesSAI Shakti kicked off the action in Pool A by defeating Pritam Siwach Hockey Academy Sonepat 90 The goalscorers for SAI Shakti were Ritika 18 20 26 Sukhveer Kaur 23 33 36 Karuna Minz 29 and Purnima Tadav 49 51SAI Shakti kicked off the action in Pool A by defeating Pritam Siwach Hockey Academy Sonepat 90 The goalscorers for SAI Shakti were Ritika 18 20 26 Sukhveer Kaur 23 33 36 Karuna Minz 29 and Purnima Tadav 49 51 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-womens-hockey-league-jharkhand-centre-mp-academy-sai-bal-win-on-sixth-day-574923.html Sat, 21 Sep 2024 18:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-hosts-china-stun-pakistan-to-enter-maiden-final-573740.html Moqi China Sep 16 In a mega upset China stunned Pakistan 20 11 in the shootout to enter the final of the Asian Champions Trophy here at the Moqi Hockey Training Base in Hulunbuir China This will be the first time in the history of the tournament that the Chinese national team has made it to the title round while the secondhighest number of title winners Pakistan will play for the bronze medal against the loser of the second semifinal between India and KoreaThe Chinese goalkeeper Caiyu Wang was outstanding in his efforts to keep a clean slate in the shootout while Benhai Chen and Chanliang Lin scored for China Earlier in the match Yuanlin Lu had given China an early 10 lead in the 18th minuteThe first semifinal of the day truly lived up to its billing with China posing a mega threat to Pakistans hopes of making the final right from the start They were gritty in their pursuit dominated the ball possession and created early chances China were buoyed by the unprecedented support from the home crowd who turned up in large numbers as it was a government holiday on Monday for the Mooncake Festival which marks the postautumn harvest celebrations across ChinaAfter a 00 stalemate in the opening quarter China scored in the 18th minute through Yuanlin Lus powerful dragflick to convert from the PC The 10 lead for China put Pakistan on the backfoot China also came up with brilliant defending in the second quarter to stop Pakistan from scoring a PC They had created as many as five PCs this quarter but could not breach the Chinese defenceAhead of the start of the match China Head Coach Jin Seung Yoo who was a former player for Korea said Its an important game for us and we are totally charged up This is the first time China is playing the semifinal of such a prestigious event in front of home crowd Tahir Zaman the Head Coach of Pakistan and I have played quite a lot against each other when Seung played for Korea including the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta Pakistan used to crush us Korea in the matchesSeung ensured this time his team was not going to be crushed by Pakistan as they put up an inspired show They punctured Pakistans attack and kept the pressure on through tactful defending Though Pakistan mustered a goal in the 37th minute through Ahmed Nadeem China ensured they didnt concede another goalThey played a disciplined game tackled Pakistani attackers with strong mantoman marking to ensure they didnt create scoring opportunities Though Pakistan made a handful of circle entries in the following minutes in the third and the fourth quarter China restricted their shots on goal quite effectively to keep the scoreline at a 11 stalemateHero of the Match Yuanlin Lu of China said We prepared for this match with great enthusiasm We discussed strategies in small batches before we finally got together as a team and prepared for the match against Pakistan It also helped that we had played a few test matches against Pakistan just before this tournament We had won against them in some of those matches so we were quite upbeat This was the first time I was playing the Asian Champions Trophy and to win the Hero of the Match is special IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-hosts-china-stun-pakistan-to-enter-maiden-final-573740.html Mon, 16 Sep 2024 16:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-japan-beat-malaysia-in-shootout-to-finish-fifth-573692.html Moqi Hulunbuir Sep 16 In a closely fought match Japan beat Malaysia 42 in a thrilling shootout after they held them to a 44 draw in regulation time to finish 5th in the Hero Asian Champions Trophy at the scenic Moqi Hockey Training Base on Monday Japan goalkeeper Takumi Kitagawa was outstanding in the goalpost to ensure his team ended their campaign in the prestigious event on a winning noteGoals were scored by Kazumasa Matsumoto 3 37 Yuki Chiba 24 and Seren Tanaka 59 for Japan in regulation time while Kosei Kawabe Matsumoto Tanaka and Tsubasa Tanaka scored in the shootoutFor Malaysia Akhimullah Anuar 5 Faizal Saari 21 32 and Fitri Saari 47 scored for Malaysia in regulation time while Faizal and Norsyafiq Sumantri scored in the shootoutThe match was evenly played between both teams In the first quarter Japan dominated the ball possession and created three potential shots on goal The early attack paved way for a field goal by Matsumoto in the 3rd minute However they couldnt hold on to the 10 lead as Anuar equalised only two minutes later when Malaysia created a PC They successfully increased the lead to 21 in the following quarter when experienced dragflicker Faizal Saari scored in the 21st minuteThe match went on to remain exciting as Japan caught the Malaysian defence completely off guard when Yuki Chiba of Japan netted a field goal in the 24th minute taking the score to a 22 stalemateAfter the tenminute halftime break Malaysia returned with vengeance to stay in the lead A tactical attack in the 32nd minute led to a penalty corner which was brilliantly converted by Saari making it his second in the gameThe 32 lead put Malaysia in good stead But five minutes later Matsumoto struck a splendid field goal equalising yet againThe contest went into the final quarter where both teams scored a goal each taking the match into a shootout It was Fitri Saari who helped Malaysia regain the lead making it 43 with his field goal but their defenders could not hold on to the lead with Seren Tanaka striking a fine field goal in the 59th minute taking the match into a shootoutHero of the Match Kitagawa of Japan said We are happy to end our campaign on a winning note We never gave up till the end and wanted to win this game giving it our all IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-japan-beat-malaysia-in-shootout-to-finish-fifth-573692.html Mon, 16 Sep 2024 13:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-womens-hockey-league-sai-shakti-pritam-siwach-mp-academy-win-on-day-2-573594.html Gwalior MP Sep 15 SAI Shakti Pritam Siwach Hockey Academy Sonipat Centre of Excellence Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh Women Hockey Academy emerged victorious in their respective matches on the second day of the Khelo India Junior Womens Hockey League 20242025 Phase 1 being played here on Sunday Sukhveer Kaur scored six goals finding the net in the 8th 20th 27th 29th 31st and 38th minutes as SAI Shakti defeated Jai Bharat Hockey Academy 170 in the first match of the day Purnima Yadav 2 19 59 Kajal 14 49 Karuna Minz 21 25 30 39 Sejal 51 and captain Nandani 52 netted the other goals for SAI ShaktiThe second game of the day witnessed Pritam Siwach Hockey Academy Sonepat defeat Bhai Bhelo Hockey Academy Bhagta 100 Aarti 17 Ritika 22 Maninder 23 33 35 Jyoti 29 Priya Chauhan 44 55 Riya 51 and Priyanka 60 scored goals for Pritam Siwach Hockey Academy SonipatIn the third game of the day Centre of Excellence Jharkhand edged out SAI Bal 43 Roshni 3 13 60 and Sweety Dungdung 49 scored goals for Centre of Excellence Jharkhand while Peetambari Kumari 18 52 and Shanti Horo 29 found the back of the net for SAI BalThe fourth and last match of the day saw Madhya Pradesh Women Hockey Academy defeat Odisha Naval Tata Hockey HPC 52 Captain Bhumiksha Sahu 4 20 Khushi Katariya 29 Krishna Sharma 42 and Swati 57 netted goals for Madhya Pradesh Women Hockey Academy On the other hand Captain Komal Gurjar 23 and Amisha Ekka 47 were on a scoresheet for Odisha Naval Tata Hockey HighPerformance Centre IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-womens-hockey-league-sai-shakti-pritam-siwach-mp-academy-win-on-day-2-573594.html Sun, 15 Sep 2024 20:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-harmanpreet-singh-scores-twice-as-india-beat-pakistan-2-0-573312.html Moqi China Sep 14 Skipper Harmanpreet Singh scored twice as India beat Pakistan 21 in the last group stage match of the Asian Champions Trophy at Moqi Hockey Training Base It was Indias fifth consecutive win in the sixteam roundrobin competition Both India and Pakistan had already qualified for the last four roundIt was one of the closest hockey matches that took place between two archrivals as the Indian team held their breath to end the group stage match with a victory Harmanpreet Singhs two goals were the difference after Pakistan took the lead earlyPakistan took the early lead in the eighth minute of the game as Hannan Shahid flew towards the Indian circle and passed to Ahmad Nadeem who was near the goalpost and deflected it into the Indian goal with ease as goalkeeper Krishna Pathak failed to save oneIn the 13th minute skipper Harmanpreet Singh took charge and scored a goal off a penalty corner hitting the top of the right of the goal post The other goal again came off a penalty corner in the 19th minute as the skipper this time flicked it just past the Pakistan goalkeeperThe top four sides from the roundrobin format qualifies for the semifinal scheduled for September 16 with the final slated for September 17The last time India faced Pakistan the eventual champions thrashed the Men in Green 102 in the Pool A match at the Asian Games This was the highest ever margin of victory for India against Pakistan and the first time the Men in Blue scored more than seven goals in 180 faceoffs so farIndia defeated Pakistan 40 victory at the Asian Champions Trophy 2023 in Chennai IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-harmanpreet-singh-scores-twice-as-india-beat-pakistan-2-0-573312.html Sat, 14 Sep 2024 15:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-harmanpreet-singh-scores-twice-as-india-beat-pakistan-2-1-573313.html Moqi China Sep 14 Skipper Harmanpreet Singh scored twice as India beat Pakistan 21 in the last group stage match of the Asian Champions Trophy at Moqi Hockey Training Base It was Indias fifth consecutive win in the sixteam roundrobin competition Both India and Pakistan had already qualified for the last four roundIt was one of the closest hockey matches that took place between two archrivals as the Indian team held their breath to end the group stage match with a victory Harmanpreet Singhs two goals were the difference after Pakistan took the lead earlyPakistan took the early lead in the eighth minute of the game as Hannan Shahid flew towards the Indian circle and passed to Ahmad Nadeem who was near the goalpost and deflected it into the Indian goal with ease as goalkeeper Krishna Pathak failed to save oneIn the 13th minute skipper Harmanpreet Singh took charge and scored a goal off a penalty corner hitting the top of the right of the goal post The other goal again came off a penalty corner in the 19th minute as the skipper this time flicked it just past the Pakistan goalkeeperThe top four sides from the roundrobin format qualifies for the semifinal scheduled for September 16 with the final slated for September 17The last time India faced Pakistan the eventual champions thrashed the Men in Green 102 in the Pool A match at the Asian Games This was the highest ever margin of victory for India against Pakistan and the first time the Men in Blue scored more than seven goals in 180 faceoffs so farIndia defeated Pakistan 40 victory at the Asian Champions Trophy 2023 in Chennai IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-harmanpreet-singh-scores-twice-as-india-beat-pakistan-2-1-573313.html Sat, 14 Sep 2024 15:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/inter-department-national-hockey-petroleum-amp-railways-spb-to-clash-in-final-573341.html Pune Sep 14 Petroleum Sports Promotion Board and Railway Sports Promotion Board advance to the final after victories over Services Sports Control Board and Food Corporation of India respectively in the 4th Hockey India Senior Men InterDepartment National Championship at the Major Dhyanchand Hockey Stadium in PimpriChinchwad In the first semifinal of the day Petroleum Sports Promotion Board defeated Services Sports Control Board 53 Ajinkya Jadhav 21 gave Services Sports Control Board the lead in the second quarter while Gurjinder Singh 28 55 equalised for Petroleum Sports Promotion BoardThe final quarter saw five goals including Yousuf Affan 49 Talwinder Singh 50 and Arman Qureshi 57 for Petroleum Sports Promotion Board while Pawan Rajbhar 53 and Sushil Dhanwar 58 also scored for Services Sports Control BoardIn the second SemiFinal of the day Railway Sports Promotion Board edged ahead of Food Corporation of India in a hard fought encounter 21 Food Corporation of India took an early lead when Ankush 12 broke through in the first quarterRailway Sports Promotion Board found the equaliser through Yuvraj Walmiki 46 and Atul Deep 57 scored a late goal to secure victory for Railway Sports Promotion Board IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/inter-department-national-hockey-petroleum-amp-railways-spb-to-clash-in-final-573341.html Sat, 14 Sep 2024 17:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-india-ready-for-high-voltage-encounter-against-pakistan-573003.html Moqi China Sep 13 The mostawaited dual in the Hero Asian Champions Trophy is finally here with India taking on nemesis Pakistan on Saturday here at Moqi Hockey Training Base While India led by ace dragflicker Harmanpreet Singh will go into the match as table toppers Ammad Buttled Pakistan will take on India as an unbeaten side placed no2 in the points tableDefending Champions India have played the tournament as true favourites clinching each match with confidence and charisma They have beaten hosts China 30 in their first match beat Japan 51 in their second trounced Malaysia 81 in their third match and clinched a 31 win against Korea in their previous matchIndia was the first team in the tournament to book a place in the semifinal and they have thoroughly enthralled the hockeyloving spectators in Hulunbuir in their pursuitPakistan on the other hand have been resilient in this campaign Playing under the watchful guidance of hockey legend Tahir Zaman they have improved by every passing game They drew 22 against Malaysia and Korea beat Japan 21 and China 51 to climb up to the second spot in the points tableWhile both share onfield rivalry like no other in global hockey offthefield both teams are believed to share a special bond India skipper Harmanpreet said I have been playing with some of the players in the Pakistan team since my junior days and we share a special bond with them They are like my brothers Ofcourse on the field we will go about the match like we would against any other opponent and make sure we keep our emotions in checkIn world hockey the rivalry the two teams share is unparalleled and I am sure fans across the globe will be waiting for an IndiaPakistan match added HarmanpreetPakistans skipper Ammad expressed similar views He said India has undeniably played like true favourites in the tournament so far We will take heart from the matches we have played and I must say we have improved in every single game not conceded cards and have played disciplined hockey We look forward to doing the same against India tomorrowThe previous few games we have defended very well against our opponents and against India too we would want to defend well particularly in PC defence Ammad addedIn the recent past India has outclassed Pakistan quite convincingly At the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year India beat Pakistan 102 in their pool match and only a few months prior to that they beat Pakistan 40 at the Asian Champions Trophy in ChennaiAt the Asia Cup in Jakarta 2022 a relatively young Indian side held Pakistan to a 11 draw while at the Hero Asian Champions Trophy in Dhaka 2021 India beat Pakistan 43 to win the bronze medalThough the matches have always been close and exciting Harmanpreet believes the stats slate will be wiped clean before they take on Pakistan Past results will not matter when we take on a team like Pakistan They are a tough side and have the potential to bounce back at any stage in the game We will look forward to a good match tomorrow IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-india-ready-for-high-voltage-encounter-against-pakistan-573003.html Fri, 13 Sep 2024 15:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-malaysia-beat-japan-5-4-go-up-to-no-4-in-table-572732.html Moqi China Sep 12 Malaysia edge past Japan with a 54 win in the ongoing Hero Asian Champions Trophy here in the Moqi Hockey Training Base on Thursday Goals by Syed Cholan 12 40 Norsyafiq Sumantri 21 Syarman Mat 47 and Kamal Abu Azrai 48 helped Malaysia win the match and climb up to No4 in the points tablePlaced in the bottom of the pool table after losing 18 to India on Wednesday Malaysia needed a win today to stay in contention for a semifinal spotThey began the match with positive intent pushing for early chances in the Japanese circle Only seconds into the game Malaysian attacker took an ambitious shot on goal but could not breach the Japanese goalie Takumi Kitagawa A few seconds later they were given a PC which was overturned by the video umpire after a good referral by the Japanese teamMalaysia were finally able to beat the Japanese defence in the 12th minute when they won a PC and Syed Cholan was on target to fetch his team an important 10 leadThey extended the lead to 20 in the 21st minute when Norsyafiq Sumantri struck a splendid field goal Japan responded swiftly as they made a solid comeback in the game with two backtoback goals in the 24th and 28th minute through PC specialist Ken NagayoshiEven though Japan who recently won the Sultan of Azlan Shah Cup made a slow start to the game they returned from the 10minute halftime break to score another goal in the 36th minute This was an important field goal by Tsubasa Tanaka as it helped them take a 32 lead over MalaysiaThough this goal posed a setback for Malaysia they were undeterred and continued to create forays in the attacking circle As many as five circle entries and an equal number of shots on goal were created in the third quarter by Malaysia and found success with Syed Cholan scoring from a PCThe equaliser boosted Malaysias game as they came back into the fourth quarter with two backtoback goals in the 47th and 48th minute through Syarman Mat and Kamal Abu AzraiThis helped them take the lead to a formidable 53 Though Japan struck one in the 51st minute through Kazumasa Matsumoto Malaysia held on to the game with strong defence in the dying minutes of the match This win by Malaysia puts Japan on the bottom of the table while Malaysia have moved up to No4 in the pool standingsHero of the Match Aiman Rozemi of Malaysia said It was very important for us to win this match and keep our chances for making the semifinal After yesterdays match against India where we lost 18 we just decided that we need to play as a team and cover for any mistakes made by our teammates and play positively I am happy this worked and also happy on winning the Hero of the match award IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-malaysia-beat-japan-5-4-go-up-to-no-4-in-table-572732.html Thu, 12 Sep 2024 22:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-pakistan-clinch-5-1-win-against-hosts-china-572804.html Moqi China Sep 12 Pakistan continued to remain unbeaten in the tournament as they registered a wellearned 51 win against hosts China at the ongoing Asian Champions Trophy here at the Moqi Hockey Training Base in Hulunbuir With this win Pakistan have moved up to the second spot in the points table With another days play remaining in the league stage Pakistan continue to stay in contention for a spot in the semifinalGoals were scored by Rehman Abdul 23 Ahmad Nadeem 36 56 and Hannan Shahid 46 60 in Pakistans win while Jiesheng Gao 48 scored the lone goal for ChinaAt the end of day four at the prestigious event India continues to lead the points table with Pakistan placed second Korea is placed third while Malaysia have managed to squeeze past China after todays winPakistan were a little sluggish with their attack in the opening quarter as they allowed China to make easy forays into their striking circle The hosts motivated by the home crowd support made six circle entries and took four potential shots on goal in the opening minutes but could not beat the resilient Pakistan defenceAfter the first quarter ended in a stalemate Pakistan bounced back in the game with speed and vigour to create chances in the circle They made as many as eight circle entries which resulted in them fetching the first PC of the match but could not convert from it However Abdul was successful in scoring a field goal in the 23rd minute to put Pakistan ahead by 10They further extended the lead to 20 in the 36th minute after Nadeem scored Though they could have furthered the lead in this quarter when they were awarded a penalty stroke Chinese goalie Weihao Wang was exceptional to make the save bringing great sigh of relief for home fans in the stadiumPakistan however did manage to convert a third goal when they won a PC in the 46th minute It was a clevervariation with Abu Mahmood taking the dragflick only to find Hannan waiting in the corner of the post to find a perfect deflectionThere was no chance for Wang to stop this one as Pakistan extended their lead to a formidable 30 Two minutes later China ensured their fans rejoiced as they scored through a PC in the 48th minute Gao who scored in Chinas opening goal in their match against Korea yesterday was ontargetThe final moments of the match saw both teams trade PCs Although neither converted from these opportunities Pakistan scored twice through Nadeem and Hannan in the 56th and 60th minutes to end the match on a high with 51 victoryHero of the Match Hannan Shahid of Pakistan said It is a collective team efforts we are learning by each match We were conceding too many cards in the start of the tournament but today we conceded only one card Hero of the team award is a result of my teams effort they created chances for me to score and I am happy how we have progressed in the tournament IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-pakistan-clinch-5-1-win-against-hosts-china-572804.html Thu, 12 Sep 2024 23:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/inter-department-national-hockey-fci-railways-spb-petroleum-spb-amp-sscb-reach-semis-572841.html Pune Sep 12 Petroleum Sports Promotion Board Services Sports Control Board Railway Sports Promotion Board and Food Corporation of India secure their spots in the semis after succeeding in their respective matches on Day 8 of the 4th Hockey India Senior Men InterDepartment National Championship at the Major Dhyanchand Hockey Stadium in Pimpri In the first quarterfinal Petroleum Sports Promotion Board defeated Steel Plant Sports Board 62 Talwinder Singh 34 42 44 led the scoring with a hattrick while Rosan Minz 1 Yousuf Affan 41 and Jagwant Singh 55 added to the tally Steel Plant Sports Boards goals came from Sem Munda 11 and Abdul Qadir 29The second quarterfinal saw Services Sports Control Board edge past Comptroller amp Auditor General India 21 in a tightly contested match Early goals from Sukhdev 3 and Pratap Shinde 39 sealed the win for Services Sports Control Board while Manish Yadav 12 scored for Comptroller amp Auditor General IndiaRailway Sports Promotion Board claimed a 32 victory over Sports Authority of India in the third quarterfinal Shivam Anand 3 opened the scoring for Railway Sports Promotion Board with further contributions from Yuvraj Walmiki 19 and Joginder Singh 53 Despite a valiant effort from Pankaj 8 58 for Sports Authority of India they ultimately fell shortIn the last quarterfinal Food Corporation of India staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Punjab National Bank 21 Gursimran Singh 14 gave Punjab National Bank an early lead but late goals from Paramvir Singh 58 and Boby Singh Dhami 59 ensured Food Corporation of Indias place in the semis IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/inter-department-national-hockey-fci-railways-spb-petroleum-spb-amp-sscb-reach-semis-572841.html Thu, 12 Sep 2024 23:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-korea-keep-semis-hope-alive-with-3-2-win-against-china-572483.html Moqi China Sep 11 Korea registered a narrow 32 win against China in their third match of the Champions Trophy here in Moqi Hockey Training Base in Hulun Buir here on Wedneday It was a thriller of a match with both teams coming up with a nailbiting finish but it was eventually goals by Hyeonhong Kim 21 Junghoo Kim 53 and Jihun Yang 55 that ensured Korea watched away with the winning pointsAt the end of days play India remains on top of the table and have become the only team to make the semifinal cut with three consecutive wins while Korea is now placed second ahead of Pakistan due to goal difference and China are placed fourthIn the start of the match however it was China who got off on positive note Backed by tremendous home support they controlled the ball well made difficult forays into the Korean circle They even earned as many as two PCs and converted in the 14th minuteIt was their PC specialist Jiesheng Gao who came up with a perfect dragflick to give his them a 10 lead early in the game and put pressure on Korea Though Koreans too created three PCs in the first quarter Chinese defence held strong with their goalkeeper Caiyu Wang making some desperate savesIn the following quarter Korea opened their scoresheet with a brilliantlystruck PC by Hyeonhong Kim The equaliser meant that China would have to work their way into building a compact and effective attack to regain the leadThe crowd with their loud chants buoyed them to surge ahead They managed hardfought circle penetrations but couldnt convert any In the meantime Korea created two more chances from PCs but the Chinese defence held swayThe third quarter ended in a stalemate with both teams trading chances in the circle Though China won a PC in this quarter they unfortunately could not convert it Korea nearly gave in their all with defending as they made some incredible saves in the goal mouth to stop the hosts from taking the score to 21There was plenty of action in the final quarter with Korea scoring two goals Under pressure to keep the lead China made errors in the circle while defending which cost them dearlyThey ended up conceded PCs and Korea scored two of the three PCs they created in this quarter First it was Junghoo Kim who scored Koreas second goal in the 53rd minute and two minutes later Jihun Yang struck another one in the 55th minuteTo the home crowds delight China scored in the 60th minute to narrow down the lead to 23 It was Ziyang Huang who nicked this one in after Korean goalie Jaehan Kim make a great save off the shot taken by Benhai Chen Huang had waited patiently in front of the post to pick up the deflection With 11 seconds to go China won a PC but couldnt manage to convert it handing Korea a 32 winHero of the Match Jungjun Lee of Korea said We are very happy about this win We worked very hard to beat China and hopefully still keep our chances of playing the semifinals alive IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-korea-keep-semis-hope-alive-with-3-2-win-against-china-572483.html Wed, 11 Sep 2024 19:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/impressive-india-ready-for-malaysia-in-asian-champions-trophy-hockey-572235.html Moqi China Sep 10 Riding on two impressive wins India will look to extend that streak when they take on Malaysia on Thursday in the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament Indias wins were 30 against China and 51 over Japan The goal scoring could have been even more but so far India has been looking good in the field Seven of their eight goals have been from field goals Sukhjeet Singh leads the scoring list with three goalsWhile India has not been able to get more goals the field goals have been a positive as they were unable to that as frequently in Paris where they went on to win the bronze medal But they do need to look at penalty corners also to add to the firepowerApart from Sukhjeet skipper Harmanpreet Singh who has not got onto the scoring charts has also been looking good Abhishek and Uttam Singh have also provided a strong show for IndiaDragflicker Sanjay scored once but will need to raise his levels if he has to prove himself as a worthy successor to captain and senior dragflicker Harmanpreet SinghIndias firstchoice goalkeeper this week Krishan Bahadur Pathak has stepped into the legendary PR Sreejeshs shoes and conceded only one goal in the tournament so far Thus far Pathak and Suraj Karkera have both been used by the coach for two quarters each in the two matches so farIndia are way ahead on the points table with two wins in as many matches and have six points Hosts China the only other team to have had a win have three points at the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Hockey ChampionshipKorea and Pakistan have two points each from two draws in two matches while Malaysia the runnersup in 2023 have one as does JapanThe top four sides from the roundrobin league will qualify for the semifinals on September 16 and the final is set for September 17 IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/impressive-india-ready-for-malaysia-in-asian-champions-trophy-hockey-572235.html Wed, 11 Sep 2024 00:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/inter-department-national-hockey-fci-sscb-win-big-and-reach-quarters-572517.html Pune Sep 11 Food Corporation of India FCI Services Sports Control Board Comptroller amp Auditor General of India and Punjab and Sindh Bank PampSB completed the quarterfinal line up in the 4th Hockey India Senior Men InterDepartment National Championship 24 at Major Dhyanchand Stadium NehrunagarPimpri FCI thrashed Sashastra Seema Bal 70 with three goals being scored by Laishram Dipu Singh 1st 40th 55th two by Kerobin Lakra 12th pc 33rd pc and a goal each by Deepak 19th and Boby Singh Dhami 52ndAs a result FCI 7 points topped GroupC with two wins and a drawOn the other hand Services Sports Control Board SSCB downed Tamil Nadu Police 60 A goal each by Pratap Shinde 4th pc Sunil Xaxa 13th Harman Singh 23rd pc Waribam Nirajkumar Singh 29th Sushil Dhanwar 37th ps and Cyril Lugun 54th pc completed a collective scoring effortBoth FCI and SSCB ended with 7 points each but a better goal difference 1714 in favour of FCI helped it take the top spotIn PoolD both matches of the day decided the top two positions and the bottom two positions respectivelyComptroller amp Auditor General of India pipped Punjab and Sindh Bank 21 to gain top spot of PoolD Two wins and a draw and 7 points 3 matches was enough to take top spot During the match the Comptroller amp Auditor General of India staged a comeback after Punjab and Sindh Bank had Satender Kumar 19th net early Changing ends Abharan Sudev B 35th pc and Chandan Singh 77th pc settled the issue in favour of Comptroller amp Auditor General of IndiaComptroller amp Auditor General of India 7 points and Punjab and Sindh Bank 4 points made up the 12 of the groupIn the other match of PoolD Central Reserve Police Force downed Central Industrial Security Force 43 in a closely contested match Kuldeep Ekka 19th pc Mohd Wasiullah Khan 27th Jashandeep Singh 41st and Sharnjeet Singh 52nd netted for CRPF and Central Industrial Security Force reduced the margin through Yograj Singh 25th Vishaljit Singh 32nd and Dheeraj Vats 51st pcCRPF 4 points finished third while CISF 1 point finished last in the groupQuarterfinal line upQ1 Petroleum Sports Promotion Board PSPB v Seel Plant Sports BoardQ2 Comptroller amp Auditor General Of India v Services Sports Control Board SSCBQ3 Railway Sports Promotion Board RSPB v Sports Authority of India SAIQ4 Food Corporation of India FCI v Punjab and Sindh Bank PampSB IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/inter-department-national-hockey-fci-sscb-win-big-and-reach-quarters-572517.html Wed, 11 Sep 2024 21:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-pakistan-register-2-1-win-over-japan-572345.html Moqi China Sep 11 Unbeaten Pakistan played valiantly to register their first victory in the Hero Asian Champions Trophy by beating Japan 21 here at the Moqi Hockey Training Base on Wednesday Goals were scored by Ahmad Nadeem 10 and Sufyan Khan 21 while Raiki Fujishima 28 scored the lone goal for Japan With this win Pakistan is placed second in the pool standings with five points behind India on the topOpening quarter witnessed Pakistans intent to stay ahead of Japan in this game Though they have remained unbeaten in the tournament so far with 22 draw against Malaysia and 22 draw against Korea they needed a win to stay in contention for the titleThe strikers put Pakistans intent on display with three early forays into the striking circle but could not put it past the Japanese goalie Takumi Kitagawa Meanwhile they did well to deny Japan their first big opportunity through a PC in the sixth minute with a good video referralAfter a couple of early attempts Pakistan was finally able to draw first blood with a brilliant field goal by Ahmad Nadeem It was Ghazanfar Ali who set up the attack by assisting inform Hannan Shahid who played a clever tackle in the top of the circle to beat Japanese defenders and assist the NadeemThey built on the momentum in the second quarter to extend the lead to 20 when they earned a PC in the 21st minute Sufyan Khan was on target picked up the injection well to drive it past Japans goalie Yosei Oba Behind by two goals Japan had to make amends to a poor start They tried to hold on to the ball possession and create chances in Pakistans circle but could not beat their defenceHowever an infringement by Pakistani defender gave away a PC in the 27th minute of the match Though Japan messed up the execution in their first attempt another foot foul in the following minute saw them being awarded another PC This time they made no mistake in execution with their Captain Raiki Fujishima driving the ball past Pakistans goalkeeper Ishtiaq Abdullah KhanFollowing the halftime break both teams shifted gears as they pushed for goals While Pakistan made as many as seven circle entries Japan made six Only two minutes into the third quarter a good referral for back stick saw Japan win a PC but poor execution denied them a goal Meanwhile Pakistan too created four PCs in this quarter but could not convert anyPakistans defence was put to test in the final quarter with Japan winning as many as 12 PCs They made desperate attempts to find an equaliser but Pakistan held their nerves defended with all their might Their goalie Abdullah Khan was also up to the task padding away a couple of PCs to keep his team in the leadThe last six minutes remained tense with Japan dominating the ball possession but Pakistan fought hard to hold on to the lead and seal the match with three points in their kittyHero of the Match Sufyan Khan expressed delight over the win He said We are happy to walk away with the winning points Our Coachs instructions was to not make errors in the first two matches we got too many cards that cost us dearly We wanted to play a disciplined match today and we defended with all our heart I am also happy to score for my team when we needed it the most IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-pakistan-register-2-1-win-over-japan-572345.html Wed, 11 Sep 2024 14:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-rajkumar-scores-hat-trick-as-india-thrash-malaysia-8-1-572386.html Moqi China Sep 11 Rajkumar Pals sensational hattrick helped the Indian mens hockey team beat Malaysia comprehensively by an 81 margin in their third match of the Hero Asian Champions Trophy on Wednesday Besides Rajkumar Pal 3 25 33 Araijeet Singh Hundal 6 39 Jugraj Singh 7 Captain Harmanpreet Singh 22 and Uttam Singh 40 also contributed to Indias third consecutive win of the tournamentWith this win they have consolidated their lead at the top of the points table with nine points in three matches Meanwhile for Malaysia Akhimullah Anuar 34 scored the lone goalRiding high on momentum after backtoback wins India started the game aggressively They put Malaysia on the back foot in no time as they scored as many as three goals in the opening seven minutes of the matchThe first goal came from Rajkumar Pal 3 who showcased remarkable stickwork The second was scored by Araijeet Singh Hundal 6 who found the top corner from the far post shooting past the left shoulder of the Malaysian goalie while the third goal came through Jugraj Singhs powerful dragflick during a penalty corner routine in the next minute of the opening quarterMalaysia on the other hand took time to settle in They survived multiple penalty corners in the following minutes of the opening quarter and began the next quarter on a positive note They earned their first penalty corner of the match in the 18th minute but Suraj Karkera who was under the bar made an easy save India launched an immediate counterattack and earned yet another penalty corner but the Malaysian first rusher averted the dangerIndia continued to make attacking forays into the Malaysian half They earned a series of penalty corners with the last one being converted by captain Harmanpreet Singh making it 40 by the 22nd minuteRajkumar added a second goal to his name in the 25th minute finding the back of the net on a rebound off the Malaysian goalie after a shot taken by Uttam Singh inside the circle While Malaysia made errors in defence India were clinical in their attack thus ending the first half with a dominant 50 leadThe third quarter continued in a similar fashion with the Indian team maintaining control of the game through relentless attacks Rajkumar went on to complete his hattrick as he scored on a rebound off Malaysian goalkeeper Adrian who had blocked Vivek Sagar Prasads initial shot in an open playMeanwhile Malaysia sneaked into Indias circle and pulled a goal back through Akhimullah Anuar 34 in the next minute However India went on to add two more goals to their tally as Hundal scored his second goal in the 39th minute while Uttam slotted the ball home after a chaotic penalty corner routine in the 40th minute ending the third quarter with a massive 81 scorelineIt was a quiet final quarter as India slowed their tempo and Malaysia couldnt capitalise on the opportunity With about six seconds remaining India requested a video referral for a penalty corner but was unsuccessful thus no further goals were scored in the final quarterExpressing delight over Indias third consecutive win Hero of the Match Arajieet Singh Hundal said We want to go all through in every game we have to win every game that is what we plan in team meetings We are here to win Personally the last two games were not up to mark but Im really happy that I scored today I am getting my confidence back day by day and I will do much better for India in the upcoming gamesIndia will take on Korea in their fourth match of the tournament on Thursday IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-rajkumar-scores-hat-trick-as-india-thrash-malaysia-8-1-572386.html Wed, 11 Sep 2024 16:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-korea-hold-pakistan-to-2-2-draw-571741.html Moqi China Sep 9 It was edgeoftheseat action here at the Moqi Hockey Training Base in Hulunbuir China with Korea and Pakistan going necktoneck in a thrilling encounter on Day Two of the Asian Champions Trophy on Monday As many as three goals were scored only seconds apart in the 60th minute of the match as Korea successfully handed Pakistan a disappointing 22 draw A brilliant late charge by Hannan Shahid who scored backtoback goals in the 60th minute to equalise and give Pakistan a 21 lead was squandered with poor defence allowing Korea to pump a field goal only seconds before for the final hooterGoals were scored by Jiwang Hyun 16 and Sunghyun Kim 60 for KoreaThe opening quarter saw a flurry of chances being created by Pakistan Young striker Hannan Shahid and Ahmad Ajaz who completed his 100th international match today were the cynosure of Pakistani attack with as many as seven circle entries created in the opening minutes of the game They were quick with their passes and effective in making space but were fairly off target with shots on goalWith just five seconds left for the first quarter to end Hannan made a skillful circle penetration and took a fine shot on goal raising the hope of Pakistani supporters in the stadium only to be blocked away by Korean goalie Jaehan KimWhile Pakistan dominated with the ball possession in the first quarter Korea played an improvised second quarter with better ball possession Though they made fewer circle penetrations compared to their opponents they were successful in setting up a fine goal in the 16th minute through Jiwang Hyun He was wellassisted by Hyeseung Lee who picked up a good aerial ball to make a clever pass to Jiwang in front of the goalpostThe 10 lead by Korea put Pakistan on backfoot as their quest for an elusive goal continuedPakistans frustration carried into the third quarter with their forwards creating umpteen chances but none making its way to the goal They even won two PCs in this quarter but were unable to successfully convert The Korean defence on the other hand was compact and ensured mantoman defence was accurateThe final quarter remained tense for Pakistan they had created over 23 circle entries but had not managed a goal As many as five circle penetrations in the final quarter went in vain with no goal coming their way They had one potential shot on goal but was blocked away Even though they appealed for a bodyobstruction while taking the shot in the 55th minute the appeal for penalty stroke was turned down by onfield umpiresJust as Pakistani fans were losing hope Hannan struck two incredible goals in the 60th minute to equalise 11 and take 21 lead in a span of a few seconds But a green card to Sufyan Khan in the 60th minute squandered this lead enabling Koreas Sunghyun Kim to strike a sitter with just fourseconds for the final hooterHero of the Match Hannan Shahid of Pakistan said We are glad we could earn one point from this effort and not lose three points instead It was disappointing to not end up on the winning side We made a sloppy start and made too many forced errors getting too many cards in the start of the match which cost us We will introspect on this and comeback stronger for our next game against Japan IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-korea-hold-pakistan-to-2-2-draw-571741.html Mon, 09 Sep 2024 14:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-dominant-india-crush-japan-5-1-to-take-top-spot-571802.html Moqi China Sep 9 Defending champions India continued their winning ways at the Mens Asian Champions Trophy as they sailed past Japan with a 51 win here at Moqi Hockey Training Base on Monday Sukhjeet Singh 2 60 scored a double in Indias win while Abhishek 3 Sanjay 17 and Uttam Singh 54 scored a goal each while Kazumasa Matsumoto 41 scored the lone goal for JapanIndia had defeated hosts China 30 in their campaign openerIndia were quick to get underway with a brilliant goal by Sukhjeet in the second minute of the game It was Sanjay hovering on the right side of the circle to lob in a cross pass that was swiftly deflected by SukhjeetIndian forwards extended the lead to 20 in the following minute with Abhishek dribbling past multiple Japanese defenders to drive it around the goalkeeper to scoreThe onslaught continued in the second quarter with Sanjay converting a splendid penalty corner in the 17th minute With a 30 lead on the board India were in a comfortable position while Japan tried to shake off the early nerves and bounce back in the game They made quick amends in their attack to fetch a PC in the 21st minute But Japans dragflick was finely blocked by Indian rushers enabling their team to launch a quick counterattackAttacking from the right Jugraj Singh got a nice turn winning a free hit After a flurry of swift short passes Indian forwards miss the goal mouth by inches With one goal coming in the quarter India completely dominated with 67 per cent ball possession that led to 11 circle entries and three shots on goalReturning from the 10minute halftime break India looked to keep up the momentum They played patiently with discipline to launch their first attack in the third quarter but Japan did well in winning the ball back They did well to build on a structured attack that eventually led to a field goal in the 41st minute by Kazumasa Matsumoto India goalie Krishan Bahadur Pathak could do little to stop Matsumoto from scoring that oneOnly minutes earlier there was a brilliant opportunity for India but Vivek Sagar fell inches short of a fourth goalA fourth goal eventually did come through for India thanks to good stick work by Jarmanpreet Singh who assisted Uttam Singh from the baseline to convert a fine field goal This left India with a comfortable 41 lead in the 54th minuteSukhjeet added another goal to his name in the last seven seconds after a fine assist by Abhishek to end the match on a high and lead the points table from the front with consecutive victoriesPlayer of the Match Abhishek of India said It was a complete team effort today and we stuck to basics We produced good attack and ensured we were on target I am also happy to be recognised with the Hero of the Match award IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-dominant-india-crush-japan-5-1-to-take-top-spot-571802.html Mon, 09 Sep 2024 16:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-hosts-china-register-sensational-4-2-win-against-malaysia-571882.html Moqi China Sep 9 Hosts China registered a sensational 42 win against Malaysia on day two of the Asian Champions Trophy here at the Moqi Training Base on Monday Their spirited performance was led by goals from Jiesheng Gao 9 32 Changliang Lin 40 and Jieming Chao 56 Though it was Malaysia who made a strong start with better ball possession and circle penetrations hosts China drew first blood early in the match with Jiesheng Gao scoring a splendid penalty corner in the 9th minute Rallied by the boisterous home crowd China played aggressive and attacking hockey Malaysia were quick to respond with an equaliser in the 14th minute It was Azrai Abu Kamal who converted the quickfire goalIn a quest to regain the lead China tested the Malaysian defence with disciplined attacking formations in the second quarter But Malaysian defence held sway not allowing easy forays into their circle Meanwhile Malaysian attackers made as many as eight circle entries and created two solid shots on goal but to no availThe second quarter remained goalless however China buoyed by the packed home crowd scored a brilliantlyexecuted dragflick only two minutes into the third quarter They came back from the halftime break determined to snatch the lead back and the tactic worked On the other hand Malaysia struggled to convert from the numerous chances they created in the third quarter China too had chances to score through three PCs they earned but none was successfulChina upped the ante in the third and the fourth quarter Changliang Lin pulled one in the 40th minute to take the home teams lead to 31 Though Malaysia narrowed the lead in the 50th minute through Faizal Saaris penalty corner taking the score to 32 an infringement while trying to stop the Chinese attacker in their circle led to Malaysia conceding a penalty stroke in the 56th minute This ended Malaysias hope of a draw as Jieming Chao broke no sweat to convert the goal This was Chinas first victory of the tournamentElated with the win China captain Meng Dihao said We are very happy with the win The crowd support was great and we will take confidence from this match into our next game against Korea IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-hosts-china-register-sensational-4-2-win-against-malaysia-571882.html Mon, 09 Sep 2024 19:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-malaysias-late-goal-holds-pakistan-to-2-2-draw-571507.html Moqi China Sep 8 The opening two matches of the Hero Asian Champions Trophy have ended in thrilling draws After Korea held Japan in a 55 goalfest in the opening match of the day a late surge by Malaysia saw them hold Pakistan to a 22 draw in a closelyfought match on Sunday Playing under the guidance of newlyappointed Head Coach Tahir Zahan Pakistan made a fine start to their campaign with an attacking first quarter Though Malaysia was strong on their defence not letting successful shots on goal an infringement in the circle with seconds left on the clock for the first hooter saw Pakistan being awarded a PC Despite four retakes however their star drag flicker Abu Mahmood could not breach the Malaysian rushers It was not the case when they worked hard to earn a PC in the 24th minuteA few quick tips by Zaman to Mahmood ahead of the PC saw them come up with a variation in the penalty corner attack which led to Sufyan Khan scoring the goal and fetching Pakistan a crucial 10 leadRiding on the 10 lead Pakistan returned from the 10minute halftime break to score a stupendous field goal by Zikriya Hayat in the 32nd minute A defensive error by Pakistan five minutes later saw them concede a PC It was the experienced Faizal Saari who came up with a fine goal to narrow down the goal deficit to 12The final quarter was intense with both teams playing onpar with each other While Pakistan defended their 21 lead with all their might Malaysian attack pushed aggressively for a goal It didnt help Pakistans cause that they were a man down with Faisal Qadir getting a yellow card in the 45th minuteWith four minutes left Malaysia won animportant PC Aiman Rozemi scored a sensational goal with a perfect drag flick beating Pakistani goalie Ishtiaq Abdullah KhanThis is a good start for Malaysia We made a comeback into the game after being 20 down We will take heart from this match and comeback stronger for match against China tomorrow expressed Faizal Saari who scored the crucial first goal for MalaysiaHero of the Match Ammad Butt of Pakistan said Malaysia is a tough opponent we started very well but didnt manage our defence well in the third and fourth quarter which cost us the match They rallied on their short corners to comeback into the game and thats the area short corner defence we want to work on in the game tomorrow On winning the Hero of the Match its a proud moment for me IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-malaysias-late-goal-holds-pakistan-to-2-2-draw-571507.html Sun, 08 Sep 2024 16:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-champions-trophy-india-begin-title-defense-with-3-0-win-against-hosts-china-571554.html Moqi China Sep 8 The Indian mens hockey team registered a 30 victory in their first match of the Asian Champions Trophy 2024 against hosts China at the Moqi Hockey Training Base on Sunday Sukhjeet Singh 14 Uttam Singh 27 and Abhishek 32 got on the scoresheet for India Notably Gurjot Singh made his debut for India in the match against ChinaDefending chamipons India were slow off the blocks while China looked ready creating an early counterattack opportunity but an alert Krishan Pathak saw the ball sail wide harmlessly India pegged China back in the last few minutes of the quarter registering a few circle entries but no clear chance was made until Jugraj Singh thundered the ball into the shooting circle and Sukhjeet deflected it into the top corner to make it 10 for IndiaIndia began controlling the tempo of the game pushing China into their own half while China were happy to sit back and hunt for an equaliser on the counter With minutes to go for the halftime break Uttam Singh doubled the lead for India slotting away a stray ball into the nets after Raheels closerange shot was battered awayIndia came out swinging in the third quarter Manpreet found Abhishek at the top of the circle who rifled the ball to sound the backboard on the halfturn and make it 30 for IndiaThe last quarter played out in a similar fashion With 12 minutes left in the game Gurjot Singh bamboozled the Chinese defence on the left wing and found Abhishek whose reverse shot whisked past the goalpost Chinas second keeper Weihao Wang saved Harmanpreets drag flick soon after China went on to earn a penalty corner with 2 minutes left forcing keeper Suraj Karkera into his first save of the game China mounted pressure on India in the dying moments holding India hostage in their shooting circle but Harmanpreet and company stood tall to see the danger awayCaptain Harmanpreet commended the performance postmatch saying I think we played very well We created some good chances but the best part is that we kept a clean sheet Some new faces got an opportunity to perform and I think they played very well Its a good opportunity for them to play with the Asian teams and gel with the senior team They are skilful and very talented I wish them the best for the future IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-champions-trophy-india-begin-title-defense-with-3-0-win-against-hosts-china-571554.html Sun, 08 Sep 2024 19:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-india-begin-title-defense-with-3-0-win-against-hosts-china-571555.html Moqi China Sep 8 The Indian mens hockey team registered a 30 victory in their first match of the Asian Champions Trophy 2024 against hosts China at the Moqi Hockey Training Base on Sunday Sukhjeet Singh 14 Uttam Singh 27 and Abhishek 32 got on the scoresheet for India Notably Gurjot Singh made his debut for India in the match against ChinaDefending chamipons India were slow off the blocks while China looked ready creating an early counterattack opportunity but an alert Krishan Pathak saw the ball sail wide harmlessly India pegged China back in the last few minutes of the quarter registering a few circle entries but no clear chance was made until Jugraj Singh thundered the ball into the shooting circle and Sukhjeet deflected it into the top corner to make it 10 for IndiaIndia began controlling the tempo of the game pushing China into their own half while China were happy to sit back and hunt for an equaliser on the counter With minutes to go for the halftime break Uttam Singh doubled the lead for India slotting away a stray ball into the nets after Raheels closerange shot was battered awayIndia came out swinging in the third quarter Manpreet found Abhishek at the top of the circle who rifled the ball to sound the backboard on the halfturn and make it 30 for IndiaThe last quarter played out in a similar fashion With 12 minutes left in the game Gurjot Singh bamboozled the Chinese defence on the left wing and found Abhishek whose reverse shot whisked past the goalpost Chinas second keeper Weihao Wang saved Harmanpreets drag flick soon after China went on to earn a penalty corner with 2 minutes left forcing keeper Suraj Karkera into his first save of the game China mounted pressure on India in the dying moments holding India hostage in their shooting circle but Harmanpreet and company stood tall to see the danger awayCaptain Harmanpreet commended the performance postmatch saying I think we played very well We created some good chances but the best part is that we kept a clean sheet Some new faces got an opportunity to perform and I think they played very well Its a good opportunity for them to play with the Asian teams and gel with the senior team They are skilful and very talented I wish them the best for the future IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/asian-hockey-champions-trophy-india-begin-title-defense-with-3-0-win-against-hosts-china-571555.html Sun, 08 Sep 2024 19:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-men-women-inter-zone-hockey-sai-shakti-win-mens-womens-titles-571364.html LucknowRanchi Sep 7 SAI Shakti secured a grand double by lifting the mens and womens trophies with fine wins in Ranchi and Lucknow respectively in the 1st Hockey India Junior Men amp Women InterZone Championships 2024 In the womens section SAI Shakti lifted the trophy by beating East Zone in Ranchi while its mens team defeated North Zone in the mens category in Lucknow Meanwhile West Zone and SAI Bal finished third in the womens and mens categories respectivelyIn the womens final played in Ranchi SAI Shakti defeated East Zone 30 Kajal 7 13 led the goalscoring efforts for SAI Shakti with a brace She was joined on the scoresheet by Laltlanchhungi 52 to seal their firstplace finishWest Zone defeated SAI Bal 31 in the Womens 3rd4th Place match West Zone built a solid lead after goals from Captain Gupta Palak 24 Khushi 27 and Parmar Ronak 36 SAI Bals Karuna Minz 38 scored a goal from the spot in the third quarter but failed to change the scoreline any furtherIn the mens final played in Lucknow SAI Shakti beat North Zone 51 The goalscorers for SAI Shakti were Shivam Patel 10 Sachin 20 54 and Ashu Maurya 37 51 while the only goal for North Zone was scored by Ujjwal Pal 46SAI Bal defeated East Zone 64 in the Mens 3rd4th Place match Ansh Kamboj 8 Dhanush Shane D 11 Kushal Bopaiah Cb 23 Captain Rahul 43 Suraj Kumar 51 and Asim Ekka 55 got on the scoresheet for SAI Bal Meanwhile Ricky Tonjam 4 39 Bijay Shaw 22 and Amit Tirkey 59 found the back of the net for East Zone IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-men-women-inter-zone-hockey-sai-shakti-win-mens-womens-titles-571364.html Sun, 08 Sep 2024 00:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-men-women-inter-zone-hockey-east-zone-win-womens-title-north-lift-mens-crown-571351.html NarwanaRanchi Sep 7 East Zone in the womens category and North Zone in the mens category were crowned champions of the 1st Hockey India Sub Junior Men amp Women InterZone Championships 2024 after defeating SAI Shakti and East Zone respectively Meanwhile West Zone defeated SAI Bal in the womens category and SAI Academy beat West Zone in the mens category to finish third In the womens final in Narwana East Zone beat SAI Shakti 31 Manjhi Pushpa 34 opened the account for East Zone but Manjinder 45 answered back with a goal for SAI Shakti Minz Priyanka 48 and Guria Sushmita 55 scored in the last quarter to seal the title for East ZoneWest Zone defeated SAI Bal 41 in the Womens 3rd4th Place match West Zone built a fourgoal cushion after braces from Sidar Madhu 9 17 and Bhabar Keshar 20 51 The only goal for SAI Bal was scored by Bharti 58In the mens final in Ranchi North Zone defeated East Zone 31 East Zone scored the first goal through Nicolas Topno 10 but North Zone flipped the switch and goals from captain Rahul Yadav 24 and Rajbhar Prahalad 48 59 turned the game in their favourSAI Academy beat West Zone 21 in the mens 3rd4th place match Amit Dayal 6 scored first for SAI Academy followed by a goal from Oram Ranjit 30 West Zone answered through Kumar Viveks 25 goal but failed to threaten further IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-men-women-inter-zone-hockey-east-zone-win-womens-title-north-lift-mens-crown-571351.html Sat, 07 Sep 2024 21:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-men-women-inter-zone-hockey-east-zone-sai-shakti-in-final-571121.html NarwanaRanchi Sep 6 East Zone and SAI Shakti registered wins in their respective matches to secure their berths in the final of the womens category of the tournament whereas North Zone and East Zone will be facing each other in the summit clash in the mens category in the 1st Hockey India Sub Junior Men amp Women InterZone Championships 2024 In the first semifinal match of the womens category East Zone defeated West Zone 20 For East Zone Sushmita Guria 12 and Pushpa Manjhi 15 scored one goal each and secured their berths in the final after defeating their opponentsIn the second match of the womens category SAI Shakti defeated SAI Bal 61 Vanlalrinhlui 15 49 scored a couple of goals whereas Harshita 34 Manjinder 41 Munda Bahamani 57 and Namrata Lakra 59 scored a goal each to take the game further away from SAI Bal On the other hand Tulasi Kuppa 21 scored the consolation goal for Sai BalIn the mens category North Zone defeated West Zone 11 31 SO Akshit Salaria 8 opened the account for North Zone and took the lead for his side whereas Karan Gautam 51 scored an equaliser in the fourth quarter to end the game on 11 at the final whistle but North Zone proved out to be the best one in the shootoutPrahalad Rajbhar captain Rahul Yadav and Mandeep Singh scored for North Zone in the shootout On the other hand only Karan Gautam could score the only goal for West ZoneIn the second semifinal of the mens category East Zone defeated SAIAcademy 42 Hemrom Tintus 14 Patras Hassa 25 Sabian Kiro 27 and Purti Ashish Tani 56 scored one goal each for East Zone On the other hand Amit Dayal 5 and Captain Srijan Yadav 40 scored one goal each for Sai Academy IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-men-women-inter-zone-hockey-east-zone-sai-shakti-in-final-571121.html Sat, 07 Sep 2024 00:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-men-women-inter-zone-hockey-sai-academy-sai-bal-west-zone-win-570608.html RanchiNarwana Sep 5 SAI Academy and West Zone registered wins in their respective matches in the mens category whereas East Zone and Academy won in their respective matches in the womens category on Day 3 of the 1st Hockey India SubJunior Men amp Women InterZone Championships 2024 At the end of the group stage North Zone SAI Academy from Pool A and East Zone and West Zone from Pool B in the Mens category In the womens category East Zone and SAI Bal advanced from Pool A while SAI Shakti and West Zone secured qualification from Pool B with a match remainingThe first womens category match in Narwana saw East Zone defeat SAI Bal by 50 The goalscorers for East Zone were Manjhi Pushpa 7 Horo Esther 18 Kiro Sanjana 20 49 and Huidrom Bidyaluxmi Devi 27Academy registered a 31 victory against South Zone in the second womens category match Shalini Mungamuri 2 scored for Academy followed by a brace from Aind Anjani 43 59 The only goal for South Zone was scored by Lakshmi Pariki 27SAI Academy defeated South Zone 21 in the first Mens category match in Ranchi Amit Dayal 28 58 scored a brace to grant SAI Academy the lead in the game While Nadeem K N 32 scored the lone goal for South ZoneWest Zone beat Academy by 32 in the last mens category match Singh Deepak 2 captain Aashir Aadil Khan 14 and Desmond Jordan 52 got on the scoresheet for West Zone Academy captain Sukhdev Singh 26 60 scored two goals but failed to change the outcome of the game IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-men-women-inter-zone-hockey-sai-academy-sai-bal-west-zone-win-570608.html Thu, 05 Sep 2024 08:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-men-women-inter-zone-hockey-sai-bal-west-win-in-ranchi-east-north-on-top-in-lucknow-570161.html LucknowRanchi Sep 2 East Zone SAI Bal West Zone win in Womens category matches on the second day of the 1st Hockey India Junior Men amp Women InterZone Championships 2024 in Ranchi In the Mens category East Zone and North Zone claimed victories in matches played in Lucknow In the first womens category match of the day in Ranchi East Zone registered a narrow 10 victory against North Zone With both teams struggling to find the back of the net till the last quarter it was Roshni Aind 54 who stepped up to score and seal the win for East ZoneSAI Bal defeated Academy 10 in the second womens match Kumari Peetambari 48 breached the net early in the fourth quarter to open the account for SAI Bal and ultimately claim three points from the gameWest Zone beat South Zone 60 in the last womens category match The goalscorers for West Zone were Kajal 16 Samiksha Yadav 41 Dhaware Sukanya 45 Sanika Chandrakant Mane 51 54 and Patel Sneha 52The first mens category match of the day in Lucknow ended with East Zone beating South Zone 31 Ricky Tonjam 12 23 and Abhishek Tigga 15 scored to grant East Zone a commanding lead Dodium Subramanyam Hemanth Kumar 31 scored for South Zone from a penalty corner but they failed to threaten furtherNorth Zone defeated West Zone 62 in the last mens category match of the day Jobanpreet Singh 8 Rajveer Singh 28 59 Rohit Singh 34 and Lovenoor Singh 38 53 got on the scoresheet for North Zone While Karan Kumar Sahu 39 and captain Tushar Parmar 57 scored for West ZoneNotably on Sunday North Zone defeated SAI Bal 32 in their mens category Pool A encounter SAI Bal opened the account through captain Rahul 17 but Sukhmanpreet Singh 42 equalised for North Zone in the third quarterKushal Bopaiah Cb 43 immediately struck to restore SAI Bals lead but lastgasp goals from Khan Fahad 56 and Singh Jobanpreet 60 turned the match in North Zones favour IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/jr-men-women-inter-zone-hockey-sai-bal-west-win-in-ranchi-east-north-on-top-in-lucknow-570161.html Mon, 02 Sep 2024 21:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/patience-his-big-virtue-goalkeeper-karkera-hopes-to-cement-his-place-in-indian-hockey-team-569917.html Mumbai Sep 1 Patience is a virtue that grows in you as you wait for an opportunity to get back into the squad Suraj Karkera has used his virtue to grow as a person and as a goalkeeper to keep himself motivated when the chips were down Life has come full circle for the 29yearold goalkeeper who has been selected for the Indian mens hockey team for the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy in China returning to the team after missing many important tournamentsThe Asian Champions Trophy to be played in Hulunbuir Inner Mongolia in China from September 8 to 17 could not have come at a more opportune time for Karkera as he is hoping to fill in the place as the firstchoice goalkeeper in the Indian teamA soldier with Bombay Engineer Group also known as Bombay Sappers of the Indian Army Karkera made his senior India debut way back in 2017 and was an understudy for PR Sreejesh before Krishan Bahadur Pathak came from behind to overtake him and become the second goalkeeper in the teamWith Sreejesh going strong in the team till 36 years of age and Pathak ensconced as the next choice Karkera could manage only 45 caps between 2017 to 2024 He was always among the probables and part of the Indian camp and would get his chance only when either Pathak or Sreejesh was not in the team like in Asia Cup 2022 in Jakarta Indonesia or in secondrung events or new formats like the FIH Hockey 5s World Cup in Oman earlier this year in which the Indian team won a gold medalAs Sreejesh has now hung up his boots after winning his second successive bronze medal in the Paris Olympic Games it is an opportunity for Karkera to cement his place in the team as the top goalkeeperThe Mumbaiborn Karkera is conscious of the big break and wants to do his best to cement his place in the squadI am very excited I think I have this opportunity after a long time and every time I am selected for the Indian team it is an opportunity to cement my place as the firstchoice goalkeeper I think this event is very important for me because this is the first event for the Indian team after Shree sir has retired It is a chance to take his place in the team so this opportunity is significant for us youngsters to cement our place in the team and to perform well Karkera told IANS in an exclusive interview organised by Hockey IndiaKarkera said the period when he missed important tournaments was heartbreaking and very difficult but he managed to keep himself motivated with the help of his familyThings are always difficult everyone wants to be selected for the team and every tournament but the motivation was that whatever I have gained in life it is all through hockey So I think there was no dearth of motivation and I maintained my standard very well I was quite motivated and in the meantime the team was also getting good results so that is also a type of motivation The team is doing well so we remain motivated by that and wait for our opportunities said KarkeraKarkera who was part of the Indian team that participated in the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast said the entire team coaching staff and his family members kept encouraging him telling him to keep working hardSo as he gears up for the Asian Champions Trophy in China Karkera a student of Childrens Academy school in Mumbai says he has grown as a player since making his debut in 2017 and will use his experience to regain his place as firstchoice goalkeeperModern hockey I think always grows and I think the penalty corner has a very big role in it PC defense is a very big thing for a goalkeeper besides the shootout So I have worked on these aspects of the game I have tried to improve in whatever is pointed out by the coaches whatever the video analysts find out and inform through meetings and video sessions I think we are told that and according to that we make modifications to our game because I think the game is always evolving so the work goes on and on said KarkeraThe experienced goalkeeper said patience is his biggest virtue which separates him from Sreejesh who is more vocal on the field and tries to express himself forcefullyKarkera said he wants to keep improving and continue playing at the time and winning medals for the country With big tournaments like the Asian Games Asia Cup and World Cup 2026 on the horizon goalkeeper Karkera hopes to make the most of the latest opportunity that has come his way IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/patience-his-big-virtue-goalkeeper-karkera-hopes-to-cement-his-place-in-indian-hockey-team-569917.html Sun, 01 Sep 2024 19:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/ranchi-narwana-to-host-hockey-india-sub-jr-men-amp-women-inter-zone-championship-569703.html New Delhi Aug 31 Aspiring hockey players are all set for the 1st Hockey India Sub Junior InterZone Championship 2024 which begins on September 1 Ranchi Jharkhand will host the mens event while Narwana in Haryana will play host to the womens event The marquee tournament in the Hockey India calendar for the SubJunior category promises to provide an ideal platform for the budding stars of the game to showcase their talent and be in the reckoning for Hockey Indias junior programsIn the Sub Junior Men InterZone Championship 2024 six teams are divided into two pools this includes North Zone South Zone and SAI in Pool A and East Zone West Zone and Academy in Pool B The sevenday tournament will be held at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium which has successfully hosted international tournaments in the pastMeanwhile the Sub Junior Women InterZone Championship 2024 in Narwana will feature North Zone East Zone SAI BAL in Pool A and South Zone West Zone SAI Shakti and Academy will be part of Pool B The sevenday event will be held at the Navdeep Stadium Narwana in HaryanaSpeaking about the event Dr Dilip Tirkey president of Hockey India said We are happy to introduce the Hockey India Sub Junior Men and Women InterZone Championship in the national hockey calendar This will be an important fixture for aspiring hockey players and will create a road map for them to progress into the junior tournaments Through this tournament we not only want to give the youngsters an opportunity to shine but also get them adept at competitive hockey from a young ageBhola Nath Singh secretary general of Hockey India also emphasised on the importance of this tournament He said We are delighted to begin this marquee tournament for SubJuniors This initiative is part of our grassroot development programme which will ensure more players will get recognised and we can also scout talented players at a young age A special mention to Hockey Jharkhand and Hockey Haryana for taking up the responsibility of hosting these championships We want the young players to have the best experience during these events IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/ranchi-narwana-to-host-hockey-india-sub-jr-men-amp-women-inter-zone-championship-569703.html Sat, 31 Aug 2024 14:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-rajgir-in-bihar-to-host-8th-womens-asian-champions-trophy-569440.html New Delhi Aug 29 In exciting news for hockey fans in India the Womens Asian Champions Trophy will be hosted in the ancient city of Rajgir in Bihar which is famous for its holy sites and hot springs The event will be a joint venture between Hockey India and the Bihar Government and will be held at the newly developed Rajgir Hockey Stadium from November 11 to 20 Last year Hockey Jharkhand successfully hosted the Womens Asian Champions Trophy in Ranchi where the hosts India clinched the title Besides the defending champions India reigning Olympic silvermedalists China Japan Korea Malaysia and Thailand are expected to participate in the marquee tournamentExtending a warm welcome to the international teams set to participate in the prestigious continental event Nitish Kumar Chief Minister of Bihar said I am very happy and delighted to extend the support of Bihar Government to host the 8th Womens Asian Champions Trophy We extend a very warm welcome to the international teams participating in the prestigious event We hope the hockey teams officials and hockey fans travelling for this event will enjoy the hospitality of our people we will ensure no stone is left unturned in making this event a grand successElated to announce the host nation Dato Fumio Ogura President of the Asian Hockey Federation said I am delighted to announce that the 8th Womens Asian Champions Trophy will be held in India I extend my profound gratitude to Hockey India for taking up the responsibility to host this marquee event after successfully hosting the Mens and Womens Asian Champions Trophy in India last year I am confident that the event in Rajgir Bihar will be a huge success similar to the previous edition held in Ranchi JharkhandExpressing his gratitude to the Bihar Government Dr Dilip Tirkey President of Hockey India said Hockey India is very excited to host the prestigious Womens Asian Champions Trophy in Bihar This is a historic moment for hockey as this is the first time an international hockey tournament is being held in Bihar We are grateful to the Asian Hockey Federation AHF and the Bihar Government for the incredible opportunity and support to host the event IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-rajgir-in-bihar-to-host-8th-womens-asian-champions-trophy-569440.html Thu, 29 Aug 2024 22:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-names-mens-team-for-asian-champions-trophy-569104.html New Delhi Aug 28 Hockey India named 18man squad for the Asian Champions Trophy scheduled to begin in Hulunbuir in China from September 8 to 17 The defending Champions will be led by ace dragflicker Harmanpreet Singh and will be supported by experienced midfielder Vivek Sagar Prasad as the vicecaptain The tournament will see Asias top hockey playing nations India Korea Malaysia Pakistan Japan and hosts China vie for honoursThe team will feature Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Suraj Karkera as the goalkeepers while the defence will see Jarmanpreet Singh Amit Rohidas Harmanpreet Singh Jugraj Singh Sanjay and Sumit in actionRaj Kumar Pal Nilakanta Sharma Manpreet Singh and Mohd Raheel will form the midfield while a young forwardline will lead the attack featuring Abhishek Sukhjeet Singh Araijeet Singh Hundal Uttam Singh and debutant Gurjot SinghThe team composition has been carefully picked to ensure experience and youth Ten players from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games bronze medal feat are part of this squad Five players including Hardik Singh Mandeep Singh Lalit Upadhyay Shamsher Singh and Gurjant Singh have been rested for this tournamentThis is an important campaign for us to ensure we build on our ranking points The team has just returned to the camp after all the celebrations following our performance in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games The past few weeks have truly been incredible with all the love and adulation for the team and we hope this support will continue all through our future campaigns expressed chief coach Craig FultonThe new Olympic cycle for us begins with the Asian Champions Trophy and we are ready for the challenge While we have rested a few players from the squad that played in Paris we have brought in a few youngsters who have done well in training and have earned the opportunity to play in Asian Champions TrophyWe will have Gurjot making his international debut and I believe this is a great opportunity for youngsters who have received a callup to shine As a team we want to continue to dominate in the Asian continent and we will go to China to retain the title asserted FultonThe Indian team will begin their campaign on September 8 with their first match against China followed by their match against Japan on September 9 Following a days rest they will take on Malaysia on September 11 and play Korea on September 12After a days break India will take on nemesis Pakistan on September 14 while the semifinal and final will be held on September 16 and 17 respectivelyIndian Mens Hockey TeamGoalkeepers Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Suraj KarkeraDefenders Jarmanpreet Singh Amit Rohidas Harmanpreet Singh C Jugraj Singh Sanjay SumitMidfieldersRaj Kumar Pal Nilakanta Sharma Vivek Sagar Prasad VC Manpreet Singh Mohd Raheel MouseenForwards Abhishek Sukhjeet Singh Araijeet Singh Hundal Uttam Singh Gurjot Singh IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-names-mens-team-for-asian-champions-trophy-569104.html Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/rousing-welcome-greets-olympic-hero-sreejesh-in-kochi-566488.html Kochi Aug 16 Indias legendary hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh an integral part of the team that won the bronze medal at the justconcluded Olympic Games in Paris was on Friday accorded a grand reception in his home state after he arrived at the Kochi Airport along with his family Sreejesh 36 who stood like a wall in front of the goal for nearly two decades bid adieu to the game on a high with a second Olympic bronze medal after India beat Spain 21 in the playoff matchAmong the large crowd present at the airport were the Ernakulam District Collector four legislators and the officebearers of the Kerala Olympic AssociationOn Wednesday Hockey India announced the retirement of the No 16 jersey from the senior mens team in honour of Sreejesh This decision marks the celebration of an 18year career which includes backtoback Olympic bronze medals Sreejesh is now set to take up on the role of coach for the junior mens hockey teamStating that he was really happy with the grand reception Sreejesh told mediapersons This reception will motivate the young generation I have been a player all along and I know exactly what a player needs Now that I am appointed as the coach of the junior national team I will have to transform from a player to a coach I need to prepare for that transformation which will take a few monthsAs soon as his open jeep exited the airport for a roadshow he was received by hundreds of enthusiastic schoolchildren Sreejesh in turn waved to the crowd as the open jeep moved towards his hometown Kunnathunadu stopping at important junctions and for a public reception at the UC College AluvaEarlier in the day before leaving Delhi Sreejesh and his family members called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was seen interacting warmly with the Olympians young sonSreejesh is presently employed as the Chief Sports Organiser in the Kerala Education Department holding the rank of a directorHe was a vital part of the Indian team that won bronze in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics held in 2021 due to the Covid19 pandemic IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/rousing-welcome-greets-olympic-hero-sreejesh-in-kochi-566488.html Fri, 16 Aug 2024 20:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-retires-pr-sreejeshs-no-16-jersey-565741.html New Delhi Aug 14 Hockey India has announced the retirement of the No 16 jersey worn by legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh This decision follows Sreejeshs retirement after playing a pivotal role in securing Indias second consecutive Olympic bronze at the recently concluded Paris Games During a ceremony held in his honour Hockey Indias Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh announced the retirement of Sreejeshs jersey The 36yearold Sreejesh has been appointed as the coach for the junior national team where he will take on the responsibility of nurturing the next generation of Indian goalkeepersThe No 16 jersey will remain in the junior team and Sreejesh will groom the next Sreejesh who will wear that jersey Singh told reportersThe Paris 2024 Olympics saw the Indian team play scintillating hockey at times performances that saw them defeat Australia by 32 for the first member of the team against Great Britain where they defended with a man down for over 40 minutes to force penalty shootouts and win by 42 courtesy of heroics from SreejeshHockey India is organised a felicitation ceremony to honour Sreejesh on Wednesday IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-retires-pr-sreejeshs-no-16-jersey-565741.html Wed, 14 Aug 2024 16:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-retires-pr-sreejeshs-no-16-jersey-565747.html New Delhi Aug 14 Hockey India has announced the retirement of the No 16 jersey worn by legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh This decision follows Sreejeshs retirement after playing a pivotal role in securing Indias second consecutive Olympic bronze at the recently concluded Paris Games During a ceremony held in his honour Hockey Indias Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh announced the retirement of Sreejeshs jersey The 36yearold Sreejesh has been appointed as the coach for the junior national team where he will take on the responsibility of nurturing the next generation of Indian goalkeepersThe No 16 jersey will remain in the junior team and Sreejesh will groom the next Sreejesh who will wear that jersey Singh told reportersThe Paris 2024 Olympics saw the Indian team play scintillating hockey at times performances that saw them defeat Australia by 32 for the first member of the team against Great Britain where they defended with a man down for over 40 minutes to force penalty shootouts and win by 42 courtesy of heroics from SreejeshHockey India is organised a felicitation ceremony to honour Sreejesh on Wednesday IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/hockey-india-retires-pr-sreejeshs-no-16-jersey-565747.html Wed, 14 Aug 2024 16:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/paris-olympics-fultons-defensive-tactics-have-worked-says-selector-mm-somaya-after-india-win-bronze-564770.html Mumbai Aug 8 Member of the 1980 gold medalwinning Indian team MM Somaya said the defensive tactics promoted by the Indian teams head coach Craig Fulton were successful as the team won a second successive medal in the Olympics on Thursday India defeated Spain 21 in the bronze medal match in the Paris Olympic Games riding on a brace of goals by skipper Harmanpreet Singh and some brilliant saves by goalkeeper PR Sreejesh in the bronze medal match in Paris adding another bronze to the one they bagged in TokyoSomaya said the team has reaped the rewards of Fultons tactics of building on the defense and the mental toughness provided by Paddy UptonHead coach Craig Fultons defensive tactics have worked wonders for the team It is very important to have a strong defense For years people in India have believed that being aggressive means putting five players up front With such tactics teams used to score one goal but would concede four at their end said Somaya hailing Harmanpreet and Sreejesh for their brilliant performance throughout the OlympicsSomaya who was a member of the team that defeated Spain in the final to win Indias last gold medal in the Olympics said he had expected the team to do well in ParisBeing a member of the senior selection committee Somaya said he was told by coach Craig Fulton that they were not going all out in matches in Australia that India lost 50 and the FIH Pro League just before the OlympicsFulton said they were not playing their actual game and keeping a lot of things under wraps against Australia and in the Pro League matches They were not playing their real combinations So I was confident that the team would do well and they have vindicated that confidence by winning a bronze medal said Somaya who was captain of the Indian team in the 1988 Olympic Games IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/paris-olympics-fultons-defensive-tactics-have-worked-says-selector-mm-somaya-after-india-win-bronze-564770.html Fri, 09 Aug 2024 00:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/paris-olympics-happy-to-have-won-a-bronze-medal-for-country-and-for-sreejesh-says-harmanpreet-singh-564755.html Paris Aug 8 The Indian hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh dedicated the Paris Olympics bronze medal to retiring goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and the country India defeated Spain 21 to win a second consecutive bronze medal in the Olympics for the first time since 1972 It was Sreejeshs final match for India and he left no stone unturned to make it a memorable one for the country Reflecting on his career Harmanpreet who scored both goals for India against Spain said Sreejeshs journey is incredible and theyre happy to win it for himOur team has some boys whose age is the same as the years Sreejesh has spent playing hockey Hes been with us for a long time and hes given us some very proud moments with his defense This was his last match and it was an emotional moment for the team Since weve got here weve been talking about dedicating this tournament to Sreejesh because his journey is incredible Playing this long for India is amazing Were so happy to have won the bronze medal for the country and for him Harmanpreet said on JioCinema after the matchHarmanpreet who scored 10 goals for India in the Olympics also mentioned what this medal win means to the entire nationI think this is a big moment for the entire country and for us as well The Olympics are a stage where you have to wait for a long time to get here You have to face a lot of challenges because it isnt easy as a hockey player Its not easy for the viewers either Our mentality and mindset when we come into the ground is to win Many times the result isnt in our favour but I think this was our destinyOur dream was to win the gold and people believed in us I want to apologize for falling short by such fine margins but this medal means everything to us Backtoback medals this is hockey history and a big deal for India to have won this backtobackEchoing the captains sentiments defender Manpreet Singh said We want to dedicate this medal to PR Sreejesh because this was his last ride Ive spent 13 years with him weve both seen a lot This Bronze medal is dedicated to PR Sreejesh from the whole team It feels great to have secured another Bronze We wanted to win the final but we unfortunately lost in the semis but the team performed really well throughout the Olympics Were not going emptyhanded were taking the Bronze back We want to thank India for their support it was phenomenal Thank you so muchManpreet was the captain of the Indian team that won the bronze medal in Tokyo ending a fourdecade drought for a medal at the OlympicsTokyo Olympic Games bronze medallist India were trailing by a goal scored by Marc Miralles off a penalty stroke in the 18th minute before they scored through Harmanpreet twice in the 30th minute and 33rd minute off penalty corners as they fought back brilliantly to win their second successive bronze medal in the Olympics in 52 yearsIndia had last won successive bronze medals in the 1968 and 1972 Games before this This medal takes Indias tally in hockey to 13 in the Olympic Games with eight gold one silver and four bronze medals adding to the countrys stature as the most successful country in field hockey at the OlympicsThis is Indias fourth medal in the Paris Olympic Games all bronze medals adding to the three won in shooting IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/paris-olympics-happy-to-have-won-a-bronze-medal-for-country-and-for-sreejesh-says-harmanpreet-singh-564755.html Thu, 08 Aug 2024 23:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/telangana-andhra-pradesh-cms-congratulate-indian-hockey-team-564756.html Hyderabad Aug 8 The Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on Thursday congratulated the Indian hockey team for winning a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy in a message congratulated the hockey team for showing a stellar performance and winning the medal He said that the Indian team played extraordinarily well and brought laurels to India in the Olympic Games It is a delightful moment for all to see the Indian team win a medal in our national sport he said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also congratulated the Indian hockey team Absolutely delighted at the Indian Hockey Teams incredible triumph in Paris Many congratulations to the mens hockey team on securing a second consecutive Olympic Bronze medal A golden moment for our country Naidu said in a post on X Andhra Pradesh Governor Justice S Abdul Nazeer retd has congratulated the Indian hockey team for their outstanding performance by winning a bronze medal in the Paris Olympics He said that the whole country and the people are proud of their achievement and wished them to win many more such laurels in the future YSR Congress President and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also congratulated the Indian team Congratulations to the Indian mens hockey team on bringing home the Bronze at the 2024 Olympics The Indian flag continues to fly high he posted on X Andhra Pradeshs Human Resources Development Nara Lokesh also took to X to congratulate the Indian team This victory makes bronze shine brighter than gold What a splendid performance by Indian Mens Hockey team today with every goal etched in history Congratulations on winning two backtoback Olympic Bronze Medals Were proud of you he wrote The hockey team defeated Spain 21 to win the bronze medal It ended Indias 52yearlong wait for the Olympics medal The Indian hockey team had last won an Olympic medal in 1972 clinching the bronze by defeating the Netherlands IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/telangana-andhra-pradesh-cms-congratulate-indian-hockey-team-564756.html Thu, 08 Aug 2024 23:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/paris-olympics-harmans-doubles-sreejeshs-saves-help-india-bag-bronze-second-in-a-row-after-52-years-564728.html Paris Aug 8 IANS Skipper Harmanpreet Singh scored a brace of goals as the Indian mens hockey team fought back from a goal down to prevail 21 over Spain in the thirdplace match and bagged a second successive bronze medal in the Olympic Games here on Thursday giving seasoned goalkeeper PR Sreejesh a memorable farewell as he bid adieu to the sport Tokyo Olympic Games bronze medallist India were trailing by a goal scored by Marc Miralles scored off a penalty stroke in the second quarter before India scored through Harmanpreet scored twice in the 29th minute and 33rd minute off penalty corners as India fought back brilliantly to win their second successive bronze medal in the Olympics in 52 years India had last won bronze medals in the 1968 and 1972 Games before this This medal takes Indias tally in hockey to 13 in the Olympic Games with eight gold one silver and four bronze medals adding to the countrys stature as the most successful country in field hockey at the Olympics This is Indias fourth medal in the Paris Olympic Games all bronze medals adding to the three won in shooting While Harmanpreet Singh struck the two goals it was goalkeeper Sreejesh made it possible as he stood like the Rock of Gibraltar and thwarted attempt after attempt from the Spaniards as they went in search of the equaliser There were a lot of anxious moments for India as Spain earned nine penalty corners in all but could not convert any India on the other hand earned six penalty corners and converted two of them India defended bravely in the last 56 minutes putting their bodies on the line at times to thwart the Spanish India had finished second in Pool B stunning Australia for the first time in the Olympics in five decades They then overcame Great Britain in the Quarterfinal in a shootout The team played its heart out in the semifinal against World Champion Germany but ended on a losing note suffering a narrow defeat But they made up for that with a fine comefrombehind win to seal a second successive medal IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/paris-olympics-harmans-doubles-sreejeshs-saves-help-india-bag-bronze-second-in-a-row-after-52-years-564728.html Thu, 08 Aug 2024 19:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/paris-olympics-australian-hockey-player-tom-craig-arrested-for-alleged-drug-purchase-564489.html Paris Aug 7 Australian hockey player Tom Craig was arrested in Paris for allegedly attempting to buy cocaine The arrest was confirmed by the Australian Olympic Committee AOC on Wednesday Tom Craig 28 was detained by French police after they observed what they described as a drug transaction in a trendy Parisian neighbourhood known for its theatres and shopping The incident occurred in the citys ninth arrondissement an area bustling with nightlife and cultural activitiesAustralian hockey team member is in custody after being arrested in Paris on August 6th the AOC stated in a release No charges have been laid The AOC is continuing to make inquiries and arrange support for the team memberTom Graig is a forward with the Australia team and had scored one goal through a penalty corner in the Paris OlympicsThe 2004 Olympic Games gold medallists Australia qualified for the quarterfinals in the mens hockey competition at the Paris Olympics after finishing third in Pool B following their first defeat to India in 52 years at the Olympic Games Ranked sixth in the World before the Olympics the Kookaburras lost to World No1 the Netherlands in the lasteight stage and crashed out of the event IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/paris-olympics-australian-hockey-player-tom-craig-arrested-for-alleged-drug-purchase-564489.html Wed, 07 Aug 2024 19:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/paris-olympics-hockey-india-raises-concerns-over-umpiring-in-gbr-match-563926.html New Delhi Aug 4 In a statement released on Sunday Hockey India has expressed serious concerns over the quality of umpiring and decisionmaking in the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympic Games mens hockey tournament The focal point of their complaint is a contentious match between India and Great Britain where several officiating inconsistencies potentially influenced the games outcome were observed Primarily Hockey India have taken umbrage to the inconsistent use of video reviews coaching by Great Britain support staff during the shootout and the use of a video tabled by the GBR goalkeeperInconsistent Video Umpire ReviewsHockey India highlighted the inconsistent application of video umpire reviews particularly pointing to the red card decision against an Indian player Amit Rohidas This inconsistency has eroded trust in the video review system among players coaches and fansRohidas was shown a red card after the video umpire made a subjective decision that the stick was a deliberate attempt to hurt a player by raising the stick Many observers felt that Rohidass action was part of his biomechanical movement and not deliberateCoaching During ShootOutAnother point of contention was the coaching of the Great Britain goalkeeper from behind the goalpost during the shootout Such actions are seen as a breach of fair play and have raised questions about the integrity of the match Hockey India said in its statementUse of a Video Tablet by GoalkeeperThe use of a video tablet by the Great Britain goalkeeper during the shootout has also come under scrutiny This unusual practice has raised concerns about adherence to the rules and the fairness of the competitionHockey India has called for a thorough review of these incidents to uphold the integrity of the sport and ensure fair play in future matches They emphasised that such inconsistencies undermine the confidence of players coaches and fans in the officiating process which is crucial for the sports credibilityEarlier the Indian team produced a superb defensive performance and secured a win to remember for ages as they defeated Great Britain 11 42 SO in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics despite being one player short for most of the matchFor India captain Harmanpreet Singh 22 netted a goal while Lee Morton 27 was on the scoresheet for Great Britain as the match ended with the score tied at 11 in the regular time thus forcing the game into the shootout where India converted all their chances and denied their opponents twice to win the match 11 42 SO and make it to the semifinals IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/paris-olympics-hockey-india-raises-concerns-over-umpiring-in-gbr-match-563926.html Sun, 04 Aug 2024 22:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/paris-olympics-indian-mens-hockey-team-suffer-1-2-defeat-to-belgium-563374.html Paris Aug 1 The Indian mens hockey team suffered its first defeat of Paris Olympics losing 12 to defending champions Belgium in their fourth Pool B encounter India started strong capitalising on a defensive error by Belgiums Arthur de Sloover in the 18th minute The mistake allowed Indian forward Abhishek to make a solo run expertly placing the ball into the bottomright corner of the Belgian goal giving India a 10 leadHowever Belgium found their equaliser in the 33rd minute Thibeau Stockbroekx scored a crucial goal to level the match at 11The game took a decisive turn eleven minutes later in the 44th minute when Belgian veteran JohnJohn Dohmen capitalised on a rebound after a penalty corner Indian goalkeeper P R Sreejesh made an initial save but couldnt prevent Dohmen from scoring putting Belgium ahead 21Despite Indias best efforts to find another goal the Belgian defense held firm The loss places India second in Pool B with seven points from four matches while Belgium sits at the top of the group with a perfect record of four winsAlready assured of a spot in the quarterfinals the Harmanpreet Singhled squad will now turn their focus to their final Pool B match against Australia scheduled for Friday at 445 pm ISTThe Indian team began their Olympic campaign with a narrow 32 victory over New Zealand followed by a hardfought 11 draw against Argentina In their third match the team secured a solid 20 win over Ireland setting them up as strong contenders in the pool IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/paris-olympics-indian-mens-hockey-team-suffer-1-2-defeat-to-belgium-563374.html Thu, 01 Aug 2024 16:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-men-women-west-zone-hockey-mp-chhattisgarh-rajasthan-win-matches-562299.html Surat July 26 Hockey Madhya Pradesh Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan secured wins in the womens category while Madhya Pradesh registered victory in the mens category on the fourth day of the 2nd Hockey India Sub Junior Men amp Women West Zone Championship 2024 here on Friday Hockey Madhya Pradesh took on Maharashtra in the first match of the day in the Womens category and won 60 at Veer Narmad South Gujarat University Hockey Ground The goalscorers for Madhya Pradesh were Shivani Barasiya 6 Begum Sajeda 17 Nammi Geethasri 19 Vaishali Rathore 20 34 and Keshar Bhabar 35In the second match of the day Chhattisgarh outclassed Goans Hockey 120 For Chhattisgarh Damini Khusro 11 Dubee Rawat 15 25 32 56 and Pratibha Kumari 27 59 netted the goalsIn the last match of the day in the womens category Rajasthan edged out Gujarat 10 Anjali Teli 52 scored the lone goal of the match in the fourth and final quarterIn the mens category Madhya Pradesh outplayed Rajasthan 201 For Madhya Pradesh Aashir Aadil Khan 8 14 20 23 36 50 Karan Gautam 10 18 25 32 33 50 52 Ajay Kanojiya 11 Aditya Raikwar 16 Ashwani Patel 27 Rishi Morya 33 48 Jitendra Kahar 48 and Anil Shukla 55 were the goalscorers For Rajasthan captain Amit Singh 57 netted the consolation goal IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-men-women-west-zone-hockey-mp-chhattisgarh-rajasthan-win-matches-562299.html Sat, 27 Jul 2024 00:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-men-women-east-zone-hockey-jharkhand-mizoram-win-on-day-3-562242.html Guwahati Assam July 26 Hockey Jharkhand and Mizoram won in the womens category on the third day of the ongoing 2nd Hockey India Subjunior Womens East Zone Championship 2024 at Maulana Md Tayabullah Hockey Stadium here on Friday Hockey Jharkhand took on Manipur Hockey in the first match of the day and won 21 in the womens category The goalscorers for Jharkhand were Nileema Surin 53 and Sushmita Guria 56 while for Manipur their captain Prinja Moirangthem Devi 42 was the lone goal scorerIn the second match of the day in the womens category Mizoram thrashed Assam 170 For Mizoram Lalnunfeli 3 48 C Lalruatsiami 11 52 Vanlalrinhlui 15 18 29 Laldinpuii 16 40 57 K Vanlalpeki 17 27 32 34 59 and Manglawmsang 30 49 got on the scoresheet IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/sub-jr-men-women-east-zone-hockey-jharkhand-mizoram-win-on-day-3-562242.html Fri, 26 Jul 2024 17:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/hockey/paris-olympics-hockey-captain-harmanpreet-emphasises-importance-of-starting-well-against-nz-562170.html Paris July 26 Indian mens hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh exuded confidence ahead of their campaign opener against New Zealand at the Paris 2024 Olympics scheduled for Saturday Speaking about New Zealand in particular they have been a strong opponent for India and memories of their 33 45 SO result at the World Cup in Bhubaneswar last year are a reminder to not get complacent against this opponentWe have always seen New Zealand as a strong opponent and have discussed this team in detail during our team briefs It is good to be reminded of the World Cup match against them so we know we cant drop the momentum at any point in the game Its important for us to start well and keep up the pressure through the game said HarmanpreetHaving arrived in Europe a little over two weeks ago the Indian side has gone through a 3day mental conditioning camp in Switzerland played highoctane practice matches against Malaysia the Netherlands Germany and Great Britain in the days leading up to their first Pool B match hereWe had some really good practice matches before we arrived in Paris and the experience as a unit in Switzerland was something unique nothing like what we have done in the past We are in a good place mentally and physically to begin our campaign expressed the CaptainGrouped along with reigning Olympic Champions Belgium Argentina Australia Ireland and New Zealand India need to be on top of their game if they wish to extend their dominance as the most successful mens hockey side in the history of the OlympicsThe atmosphere here in the Games Village is extremely good Meeting with athletes from our Indian contingent and to see how much support we have within our own contingent has been quite overwhelming and this motivates us all the more to do well added HarmanpreetAdding to Harmanpreets views vice captain Hardik Singh said The moment we have been eagerly waiting for is finally here and the team is super excited Of course there is some nervousness too and that is always good before any big gameIndia will take on New Zealand at 900 pm IST on Saturday July 27 in their first Pool B matchWe have learnt to deal with pressures of an event like the Olympic Games we are here on a mission to change the colour of our medal and yes we are in a tough pool with teams and they are serious contenders for a medal in Paris but on a good day we have proven to be better than the rest and thats the mindset we will carry into this tournament concluded Hardik IANS https://dailyworld.in/hockey/paris-olympics-hockey-captain-harmanpreet-emphasises-importance-of-starting-well-against-nz-562170.html Fri, 26 Jul 2024 12:15:00 +0530