Team vice-captain Savita stated defending the title within the Women’s Asia Cup and subsequently sealing a straight berth within the FIH World Cup would be the foremost focus for India as it’ll set the tone for the staff forward of the busy season.
Indian girls will begin the brand new yr in January with a visit to Oman the place they’ll defend their Asia Cup title from January 21 to twenty-eight.
The continent’s high eight groups – India, China, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore – will compete for high honors within the Asia Cup. From the place the highest 4 groups will qualify for the FIH Women’s World Cup 2022 to be held in Spain and the Netherlands in July.
“In 2017, we gained the Asia Cup to earn direct qualification for the FIH Women’s World Cup in London. I feel the win was a step for us to determine a gradual development in our efficiency over the previous 4 years.
“Definitely starting the season with a good show in the Asia Cup will give us the right momentum as we play back-to-back tournaments,” ace goalkeeper Savita stated in a press release to Hockey India.
After the conclusion of the Asia Cup, Indian girls will make their FIH Pro League debut by enjoying in opposition to Netherlands, Spain, Germany and England in Bhubaneswar.
The Indians will then journey to Belgium and the Netherlands to play in opposition to Belgium, Argentina and the US in June.
“I feel Pro League matches will give us the most effective efficiency earlier than the World Cup (in July). Last time we made it to the quarter-finals for the primary time in lots of many years.
“With our recent performance in the Olympics and the support we have received, we need to live up to the expectations by performing well in these major events to keep our interest in women’s hockey going,” stated Savita.
It follows the Indian girls’s staff’s two massive assignments of the yr – the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in July after which the nineteenth Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, the place they are going to be aiming to win a gold medal to qualify instantly for the 2024 Paris Olympics. .
The Indian girls’s season will conclude in December with the FIH Women’s Nations Cup to be performed in Valencia, Spain.
“Having a good core group in such a hectic year will mean making sure that our performance doesn’t drop whenever someone needs to fill in another player,” stated Savita.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
