Bhubaneshwar: India will host FIH Hockey World Cup for the fourth time with ‘Hope’ as the theme of this year’s World Cup. The host will also look to forget the humiliating 2-1 loss to Netherlands in the Quarter finals. This year India has been grouped with England (Ranking 5) who were also last edition’s semi-finalist, Spain (Ranking 8) and Wales (Ranking 15).
India, who have just won the hockey World Cup once, in 1975 will look to win this prestigious cup for second time, as a host nation India are favorites but also other nations like the powerhouse of World Hockey Australia, Netherlands and Belgium, who are the defending champs will look to win this Cup. In total Cups won list:
Pakistan 4 (1971,1978,1982,1994)
Netherlands 3 (1973, 1990, 1998)
Australia 3 (1986, 2010, 2014)
Germany 2 (2002,2006)
India 1 (1975)
Belgium (2018).
It is to be noted down although, India has won only this cup ones, but they ended up as Runners-up and bronze medalist in 1973 and 1971 respectively. All eyes would be on Indian team as they will take on Spain in their opening group Clash in Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium, Rourkela.
With win against Spain, India will look to get positive start from this World Cup full of hopes for Indian fans. This India team is led by Harmanpreet Singh, so far in head-to-head India and Spain have played 30 time, in which India have managed to get 13 and Spain have managed to get 11 wins, while 6 matches ended in a draw. In the FIH World Rankings, India is in the 6th position while Spain is in the 8th. Another reason for India to believe themselves as a contender, is that they are the Olympics 2021 bronze medalist, this will be for the first time that India will enter this World Cup as a bronze medalist.
India skipper Harmanpreet Singh will be the player to watch out for as the penalty corners is the strength of this player, who has replaced Manpreet Singh in the latter half of 2022. In the analyses of India squad, it has been put down that Harmanpreet Singh in the drag flick department and other player like vice- captain Amit Rohidas, Varun Kumar and local boy Nilam Sanjeep Xess as the potential penalty takers. In the group England are taken to be toughest team who will meet Indian team on Jan 15, before they play their last pool game against Wales on Jan 19.
Where, as in squad of Spain there are bunch of Youth and a four-time World cup player and third in India soil playing for them. It will be interesting to see how the Spanish team, who has made their presence in last some editions in world hockey, handles the pressure of playing in a stadium packed with fans supporting Indian team.
The Top team from each group will enter the quarterfinals from the four pools, while team finishing second and third will play the crossovers match.
Analyzing all four pools it is found that India’s pool is far the toughest of the four, with Australia expected to be Pool A group toppers, while there will be fight for the top spot between Champions Belgium and Germany in Group B, and the mighty Netherlands has a fancy chance to qualify directly for the quarterfinals from Group C and the last group of this world cup Group D is said to be the ‘group of death’ with India, Spain and England all strong contender to top this group.
Indian fans will also hope that their wish will be fulfilled to see India winning this cup on January 29, only if they have learnt their lessons from the last edition of 2018 played in India.
