Bhopal : A total of 27 teams will vie for top honours in the 12-day tournament when Hockey India senior women’s national championship 2022 will begin here from May 6The participating teams are divided into eight pools. Teams in Pool A are Hockey Madhya Pradesh, Hockey Chandigarh and Hockey Bihar, while Pool B features Hockey Haryana, Assam Hockey and Hockey Bengal. Pool C consists of Hockey Punjab, Chhattisgarh Hockey and Tripura Hockey, while Pool D features Hockey Maharashtra, Hockey Rajasthan, Hockey Uttarakhand.Hockey Jharkhand, Hockey Andhra Pradesh and Le Puducherry Hockey have been included in Pool E, while Hockey Karnataka, Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu and Hockey Arunachal, Hockey Andaman &amp; Nicobar have been slotted in Pool F. Pool G consists of Uttar Pradesh Hockey, Delhi Hockey, Goans Hockey and Hockey Gujarat, while Pool H features Hockey Association of Odisha, Kerala Hockey, Telangana Hockey and Hockey Himachal.Speaking at the prospect of defending the title, Hockey Madhya Pradesh coach Vandana Uikey said, “There will be a bit of pressure playing at home as the Title defenders, but I think we are fully prepared, both mentally as well as physically. We will go game-by-game, our first target is to qualify for the Quarters, and then approach the knockout stage depending on who we play against. Preparations have been fantastic, and players are excited to take part in the competition.”Meanwhile, the coach of last year’s runners-up team, Hockey Haryana, Kuldeep Siwach said,” We narrowly missed out on the Title last year, but this time I am expecting that we will win the Title and continue Hockey Haryana’s legacy in the competition. We’ve been training for a long time, and we will certainly give our best to win the Title.” Speaking about her team’s preparations for the competition, Hockey Punjab’s Coach Yogita Bali said, “Preparations have been really great for the tournament. We have a good mix of young and experienced players. Around 10 players have recently got their exposure from Khelo India, so we have good momentum for this tournament. We finished third last year, but we hope to reach the Final this time"—IANS

A total of 27 teams will vie for top honours in the 12-day tournament when Hockey India senior women’s national championship 2022 will begin here from May 6.

Hockey India senior women's national championship 2022 set to start on Friday

New Delhi: Veteran drag flicker Rupinder Pal Singh, who recently came out of retirement, will lead India at the Asia Cup as Hockey India on Monday announced a 20-member team for the upcoming tournament in Jakarta.The prestigious event, which will be held from May 23 to June 1, is a World Cup qualifier.Senior players like Manpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh will give the tournament a miss.Birender Lakra has been named deputy to Rupinder for the event, where a second-string team represent India.Both Rupinder and Lakra had announced their retirement after the Tokyo Games last year but made themselves available for selection later on.It will be first assignment for former captain and two-time Olympian Sardar Singh as India coach.India have been grouped with Japan, Pakistan and hosts Indonesia in pool A, while Malaysia, Korea, Oman and Bangladesh comprise pool B.The team have as many 10 players who make their senior debut, including junior World Cup players Yashdeep Siwach, Abhisek Lakra, Manjeet, Vishnukant Singh and Uttam Singh.Also new in the team will be Mareeswaren Sakthivel, Sheshe Gowda BM, Pawan Rajbhar, Abharan Sudev and S Karthi.The team features two goalkeepers in Pankaj Kumar Rajak and Suraj Karkera. Defenders include Rupinder, Yashdeep Siwach, Abhisek Lakra, Lakra, Manjeet, Dipsan Tirkey, Vishnukant Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Mareeswaren Sakthivel, Sheshe Gowda BM, Simranjeet Singh.Forwards Pawan Rajbhar, Abharan Sudev, SV Sunil, Uttam Singh and S.Karthi have also been named in the squad.Junior World Cup player Maninder Singh and Nilam Sanjeep Xess have been named as replacement players while Pawan, Pardeep Singh, Ankit Pal and Angad Bir Singh have been named as standbys.Speaking about the team composition, Coach BJ Kariappa said, "The team is a good mix of experienced senior players and newcomers, many of whom have played at the international level in different age-group matches but have not made their Senior India debut."Since India has already qualified for the FIH Men's World Cup by virtue of being the hosts, this will be a good platform for us to try out this new group and test how these players utilize the opportunity."Coach Sardar said,"This is a very talented group of players and I have seen them work really hard over the past few weeks to earn a place in the team."On a personal front, this will be my first tournament as India Coach and I am looking forward to this new experience—PTI

Veteran drag flicker Rupinder Pal Singh, who recently came out of retirement, will lead India at the Asia Cup as Hockey India on Monday announced a 20-member team for the upcoming tournament in Jakarta.The prestigious event, which will be held from May 23 to June 1, is a World Cup qualifier.

Rupinder Pal Singh named captain for Asia Cup

Bhopal:&nbsp;Odisha and Himachal Pradesh registered convincing wins over their respective pool H opponents on day 5 of the 12th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship here on Tuesday.In the first game of the day, Odisha beat Kerala 11-0, while Himachal defeated Telangana Hockey 8-0 in another fixture.On Monday, Jharkhand had registered a 10-0 win over Andhra Pradesh in a Pool E match.—PTI

Odisha and Himachal Pradesh registered convincing wins over their respective pool H opponents on day 5 of the 12th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship here on Tuesday.

Odisha, Himachal win in Senior National Women's Hockey

Bhopal: Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh registered identical 12-0 wins over their respective pool rivals at the 12th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship, here on Thursday.While Tamil Nadu defeated Arunachal 12-0 in a Pool F match, Uttar Pradesh outplayed Gujarat by the same scoreline in Pool G.In Pool F, Hockey Andaman &amp; Nicobar forfeited its match, resulting in Hockey Karnataka getting a 5-0 default win.Earlier, Andhra Pradesh outclassed Puducherry 16-0 in a Pool E match late on Wednesday.—PTI

Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh registered identical 12-0 wins over their respective pool rivals at the 12th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship, here on Thursday.

TN, UP win big in Senior National Women's hockey

Bhopal: The 12th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2022 saw high-scoring Hockey action on Day Seven in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on Thursday. The first game of the day saw Tamil Nadu facing off against Arunachal in a Pool F match. Rubasri N (5', 11', 60') starred in the match, scoring a hat-trick for Tamil Nadu. Sabarimanidevi S (4', 22'), S Soniya (19', 23'), Leemaroshni S (44', 55'), and Nivetha (51', 57') scored two goals each, while Malarvizhi S (18') also scored a goal as Tamil Nadu beat Arunachal 12-0. In the second match of the day, Uttar Pradesh beat Gujarat 12-0 in Pool G match. Shreya Singh (15', 43', 57', 60') scored four goals for Uttar Pradesh to help her team in getting the win. Simran Singh (10', 23') scored a brace, while Pallavi Kumari (14'), Captain Reetu Singh (20'), Bramhacharimayum Sarita Devi (27'), Varsha Arya (32'), Sonal Tiwari (47'), and Anshika Singh (52') all scored a goal each in the match. The Pool F match between Karnataka and Andaman and Nicobar was forfeited resulting in Karnataka getting a 5-0 default win. The Pool G match between Delhi and Goans Hockey will be played later in the day from 16:45 hrs IST. Meanwhile, on Day Six, Andhra Pradesh beat Le Puducherry 16-0 in a Pool E match. Captain Lotla Mary (26', 40', 47' 51', 54',) starred in the match, scoring five goals, while Kalapureddi Veera Venkata Durga (7', 16', 28', 49')and Bandaru Padmavathi (11', 14', 43', 45') scored four goals each to help their team. Pulicherla Roshitha (4', 21', 24') also scored a hat-trick in the match as Hockey Andhra Pradesh picked a thrilling victory.—ANI

The 12th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2022 saw high-scoring Hockey action on Day Seven in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on Thursday. 

Tamil Nadu, UP register wins on Day 7 of HI Senior Women National C'ship

Delhi: Cranes lifting heavy material, dusty roads leading up to the site, people in safety jackets and helmets doing their work amid heaps of sand and cement lying scattered all over the place.There are ample signs that the construction of the country's largest hockey stadium is in full swing.Come January next year, the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Odisha's tribal-dominated Sundargarh district will be packed to the rafters during the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup.As many as 20,000 supporters will be rooting for the Indian hockey team, which is riding high on the Tokyo Olympics success and will seek to not only better the quarterfinal finish in the 2018 edition in Bhubaneswar, but also win the showpiece event.The work at the stadium on the outskirts of Rourkela city started in June last year and it is going on round the clock as officials battle to complete it within the deadline.Normally, it takes around 18-24 months to build a stadium of this size."But, we designed and planned it in such a way so that we can save time in engineering and the conventional construction part," Sports Department infrastructure consultant Swagat Singh said.The executing agency of the 200-crore stadium is the Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation of Odisha and it has sublet the work to the Larsen and Toubro.<img src="https://im.rediff.com/sports/2022/may/12hockey-stadium2.jpg?w=670&amp;h=900">The 80-crore accommodation near the practice pitch is being done by another contractor and its deadline is October, the official said.The 35-acre site includes the stadium and accommodation inside the 120-acre campus of the Biju Patnaik University of Technology."It's India's largest hockey stadium. We're also assuming it to be the world's biggest, but yet to get that confirmation from the FIH," he told a group of journalists at the site, 293 km northwest of capital Bhubaneswar.Singh exuded confidence of finishing the work in time by August."Almost 50-60 per cent of the work has been completed," he said.The workforce size is around 400. The casting is done at night and preparatory work in the morning due to the searing heat for the past few weeks.By the end of this month, the complete shell will be done. Once the skeleton structure is completed, the workers will start giving the finishing touch.There are many USPs of this project, one of which is that it is a disabled-friendly stadium."In other stadiums, there are multiple floodlights, but we are integrating it within the building itself so that it won hamper the aesthetics," Singh said.The colosseum-like structure is continuous, making it more functional in terms of viewing .Singh highlighted that one will get a clear picture without any vision block no matter at what gallery or at which angle a spectator sits.The field of play has a more run off area, the official said, expressing hope that it would host many World Cup matches, scheduling of which is yet to be done.There will be some light projection and the facade has been designed in such a way that cultural aspects of the region can be integrated.“Wall arts and murals will also be there. It will be an amalgamation of culture and heritage,” Singh said.Just like the Hollywood Sign on Mount Lee in Los Angeles, the administration had planned to write Rourkela on the lush green and scenic Durgapur Hills, which overlooks and runs across one side of the stadium."But there are some technical and stability issues," Additional District Magistrate Subhankar Mohapatra said. "We're still trying tough."Before the World Cup, the Fédération Internationale de Hockey (FIH) will certify whether it has complied to all the standards.He informed that they are planning to hold for a Pro League in October-end that will act as a test event.Post the World Cup, the government is mulling to convert the entire complex as an academy so that it remains a benchmark.Sundargarh is regarded as the cradle of Indian hockey that has churned out that likes of Dilip Tirkey, Amit Rohidas and Birendra Lakra. From kids to the elderly, there's a lot of craze of the sport in the region.That's why the state government wanted to have a footprint in the district because they wished to give it as a gift to the local population, Singh pointed out. "Many kids here prefer to hold a hockey stick instead of a cricket bat."—PTI

Cranes lifting heavy material, dusty roads leading up to the site, people in safety jackets and helmets doing their work amid heaps of sand and cement lying scattered all over the place.

PIX: India's largest hockey stadium

Bengaluru: Olympic bronze medallists Indian men’s hockey team left for Jakarta on Friday, where they will defend the Asia Cup title starting May 23. The team, led by Birendra Lakra, is up against Japan, Pakistan and hosts Indonesia in Pool A, while Malaysia, Korea, Oman and Bangladesh are grouped in Pool B.India will kick off their campaign on the opening day against Pakistan. Speaking about the team’s excitement, Lakra said, “The team is definitely excited. The Asia Cup is a prestigious tournament and we will have quite a few players who will be experiencing this tournament for the first time so naturally the mood is quite upbeat in the team.”Talking about the team’s preparations, Lakra said, “Our camp in SAI Bengaluru was quite tough and very fruitful. While we got to know more about each player’s strengths, and improved our on-field communication, Sardar (Singh, coach) was also very particular about our fitness.”In the previous edition held in Dhaka in 2017,India&nbsp;had defeated Malaysia in the final to lift the trophy. Reflecting his thoughts on his team’s prospects this year, Lakra said, “We just want to take it one match at a time, definitely there will be a lot of tense nerves ahead of the first match against Pakistan but we will focus on our own game and get on from there.”—IANS

Olympic bronze medallists Indian men’s hockey team left for Jakarta on Friday, where they will defend the Asia Cup title starting May 23. The team, led by Birendra Lakra, is up against Japan, Pakistan and hosts Indonesia in Pool A, while Malaysia, Korea, Oman and Bangladesh are grouped in Pool B.

Defending Champions India Leave for Asia Cup Hockey in Jakarta

New Delhi: &nbsp;Hockey India on Saturday named a 24-member Indian Women's Hockey Team for the FIH Hockey Pro League matches that will be played in Belgium and the Netherlands in June ahead of the much-anticipated FIH Hockey Women's World Cup. India is scheduled to play hosts Belgium on June 11-12 followed by matches against Argentina on June 18-19 and the United States on June 21-22 2022.The team will be led by Savita and the vice-captain will be Deep Grace Ekka. While the team list includes Junior World Cup stars Bichu Devi Kharibam, Ishika Chaudhary, Akshata Abaso Dhekale, Baljeet Kaur, Sangita Kumari and Deepika, the league is also likely to witness experienced striker Rani's return to action after she made her last appearance at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. She was in rehab to recover from a prolonged hamstring injury. The Indian Team features goalkeepers Savita and Bichu Devi Kharibam, defenders Deep Grace Ekka, Gurjit Kaur, Nikki Pradhan, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Akshata Abaso Dhekale. The midfield will see Nisha, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Monika, Neha, Jyoti, Navjot Kaur, Sonika, Salima Tete and Baljeet Kaur.The forward line will see the very experienced Vandana Katariya lead the charge with Lalremsiami, Navneet Kaur, Sharmila Devi, Sangita Kumari, Deepika and Rani. Additionally, Rajini Etimarpu, Mahima Chaudhary and Rajwinder Kaur have been named as standbys. Talking about the team, Chief Coach Janneke Schopman said, "This is going to be a very important leg of Pro League matches in Europe as it will give us insights into our progress ahead of the World Cup in July. These matches are going to be critical in also finalizing our team for the World Cup.""This is a good, well-balanced squad with a mix of some very experienced players and youngsters who have shown great promise after their Junior World Cup outing. I am very interested to find out how they will play in European conditions against quality sides like Belgium, Argentina and US," Schopman added. The Indian Women's team is currently poised at the no.1 position on the pool table in the FIH Hockey Pro League and will be vying to top the charts at the end of the season.—ANI

Hockey India on Saturday named a 24-member Indian Women's Hockey Team for the FIH Hockey Pro League matches that will be played in Belgium and the Netherlands in June ahead of the much-anticipated FIH Hockey Women's World Cup

Hockey India names 24-member Indian Women's Hockey Squad

Chennai: Defending champions India conceded a late goal to allow arch-rivals Pakistan walk away with a 1-1 draw in their opening Pool A match of the Asia Cup men's hockey tournament, here on Monday. India took the lead in the ninth minute through Karthi Selvam before Abdul Rana broke their neighbours' heart by equalising in the 59th from a penalty corner. India will next play Japan on Tuesday. Pakistan had the first scoring chance in the third minute in the form of a penalty corner, but they failed to stop the ball properly as India survived. Seconds later, it was India's turn to secure a penalty corner but Neelam Sanjip Xess' effort was saved by the Pakistan goalie Akmal Hussain.The Indians continued to put pressure on the Pakistan defence and secured two more penalty corners in the first quarter, the second of which was converted by Karthi, who scored his first international goal after his flick went inside the Pakistan citadel after getting a deflection off the stick of defender Muhammad Abdullah. In between Pakistan also got another penalty corner but the effort went wide. Soon after the start of the second quarter, Pakistan goalkeeper Hussain made a fine reflex save to deny Pawan Rajbhar from point blank range. The Indians dominated the ball possession and secured another penalty corner in the 21st minute which went abegging. Two minutes from the half time, Pakistan got a chance to equalise when they were awarded a penalty corner for an unnecessary tackle outside circle by young Vishnukant Singh, but once again miss-stop ruined the opportunity as India went into into the break with a slender 1-0 lead.Pakistan made a bright start after the change of ends and threatened the Indian defence early on.Second into their third quarter, Pakistan secured their third penalty corner but Rizwan Ali shot his flick wide. Minutes later India custodian Suraj Karkera made a brilliant save from close range to deny Abdul Rana and then the resultant rebound was shot over by Afraz. Thereafter India had a flurry of chances -- one to Rajbhar and then to Uttam Singh -- but Pakistan goalkeeper Hussain was there to save his side. The Indians kept up the pressure and secured a few more penalty corners in the third quarter but could convert none. Credit should also go to Pakistan keeper Hussain, who stood like a rock in front of the goal. A lapse in concentration cost India dearly as a long ball caught, an otherwise alert Indian defence, off guard in the final two minutes, resulting in a penalty corner for Pakistan. Rana pushed in from a rebound after Mubashar Ali's flick was saved at the goal line by Yashdeep Siwach. Meanwhile in the other matches of the day, Malaysia beat Oman 7-0 and Korea defeated Bangladesh 6-1 in Pool B, while Japan thrashed hosts Indonesia 9-0 in Pool AIndian squad for Asia Cup Hockey 2022Goalkeepers:&nbsp;Pankaj Kumar Rajak, Suraj KarkeraDefenders:&nbsp;Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Yashdeep Siwach, Abhisek Lakra, Birendra Lakra (Captain), Manjeet, Dipsan TirkeyMidfielders:&nbsp;Vishnukant Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Mareeswaren Sakthivel, Sheshe Gowda BM, Simranjeet SinghForwards:&nbsp;Pawan Rajbhar, Abharan Sudev, SV Sunil (Vice Captain), Uttam Singh, S KarthiReplacement Players and standbys:&nbsp;Maninder Singh, Pawan, Pardeep Singh. Ankit Pal, Angad Bir Singh—PTI

Defending champions India conceded a late goal to allow arch-rivals Pakistan walk away with a 1-1 draw in their opening Pool A match of the Asia Cup men's hockey tournament, here on Monday.

Asia Cup Hockey 2022: Pak holds nerve to draw 1-1 against India

Jakarta: Indian men's hockey team picked up a stunning 16-0 win over the hosts Indonesia in their final match of the Asia Cup 2022 Pool A at the GBK Sports Complex Hockey Stadium here on Thursday and qualified for the second round of the continental meet. India needed to win by a margin of 15 goals in the final group match to qualify for the Super 4s.Dipsan Tirkey (42', 47', 59', 59') starred for India, scoring four goals in the match, while Sudev Belimagga (45', 46', 55') also scored a hat-trick in the match. Pawan Rajbhar (10', 11),SV Sunil (19', 24'), and Karthi Selvam (40', 56') also scored a brace, while Uttam Singh (14'), Nilam Sanjeep Xess (20') and Birendra Lakra (41') scored a goal each to help their team pick up the win. India started the match against Indonesia at a relentless pace against the hosts, showcasing their intention to get a big win from the first minute itself. In the 7th minute, the team missed a clear chance to get the first goal for India. But they did not have to wait for long to get off the mark as Pawan Rajbhar struck two goals in two minutes to give his team a 2-0 lead before Uttam Singh added another goal just before the closing of the first quarter.SV Sunil made an impact in the 2nd quarter as he deflected the ball into the Indonesia nets in the 19th minute. A minute later, Nilam Sanjeep Xess added another goal for India from a PC as India extended their lead to 5-0. SV Sunil deflected the ball into the back of the nets a few minutes later to extend India's lead to 6-0 before the half-time. Indonesia goalkeeper Alam Fajar defended well in the third quarter as India continued to search for more goals. Karthi Selvam finally broke the resistance in the 40th minute, getting the 7th goal for India. Skipper Birendra Lakra made an impact, getting the 8th goal for India in the 41st minute, after which Dipsan Tirkey and Sudev Belimagga scored a goal each to take India to 10-0 before the start of the final quarter. In the final 15 minutes, Dipsan Tirkey scored thrice, Sudev Belimagga scored a brace, while Selvam Karthi added another goal as India picked up a consolidating 16-0 win.India will play their first game of the Super 4s against Japan on Saturday.Heartbreak for Pakistan Pakistan suffered a heart-break loss to Asian Games champions Japan who came up with excellent defence to win 3-2 in a crucial pool A match here in the Hero Asia Cup being held at the sprawling GBK Sports Arena on Thursday. A win against Japan or even a draw would have put Pakistan in the Super 4s but the team has to now depend on the result of India Vs Indonesia match, where the defending champions India need to win by a difference of 15 goals to edge past Pakistan into the Super 4s. It's disappointing that we need to wait for India's match to learn about our fate of making the Super 4s," expressed an evidently disappointed Pakistan Skipper Umar Bhutta. However, he credited his team's resilience and said, "The boys really gave all their heart. We really wanted to make it to the Super 4s but the two goals that were disallowed really hurt our chances and we also ended up getting many cards that didn't help our chances," Bhutta added.—IANS

Indian men's hockey team picked up a stunning 16-0 win over the hosts Indonesia in their final match of the Asia Cup 2022 Pool A at the GBK Sports Complex Hockey Stadium here on Thursday and qualified for the second round of the continental meet.

Asia Cup hockey: India thrash hosts Indonesia 16-0, qualify for Super 4s

Jakarta: Rising to the occasion, the Indian men's hockey team slammed six goals in the final quarter for a crushing 16-0 victory against Indonesia, a result that took the holders into the knockout stage of the Asia Cup but shut the World Cup door on Pakistan, in Jakarta on Thursday. India needed to win the Pool A contest by at least a 15-0 margin to qualify and the young players delivered under pressure. Both India and Pakistan finished on four points each in Pool A behind Japan but the defending champions qualified for the Super 4s due to better goal difference. Pakistan had lost 2-3 to Japan earlier in the day. The result not only pushed Pakistan out of the tournament but also dashed their hopes of World Cup qualification since only the top three teams at the Asia Cup will be given tickets for the big event. India, being the hosts, gained an automatic place in the World Cup and hence Hockey India decided to send young players to this tournament for exposure. Dipsan Tirkey (5 goals) and Sudev Belimagga (3 goal) shared eight goals between them, playing a key role in team's crucial win. Veteran SV Sunil, Pawan Rajbhar and Karthi Selvam scored a brace each while Uttam Singh and Nilam Sanjeep Xess were the other goal getters for India. With odds stacked against them, India started on an attacking note and had the first shy at the goal in the seventh minute but Uttam Singh, who had only the goalkeeper to beat, pushed wide Maninder Singh's feed. In the 10th minute, Rajbhar broke the shackles with a powerful shot from top of the circle.Rajbhar doubled India's lead a minute later through a rebound from the team's first penalty corner. A minute from the first quarter, India extended their lead through Uttam, who was at the right place at the right time to tap home. India continued their attacking instinct and secured another penalty corner in the 19th minute from which Sunil scored after they recovered from a miss-stop.A minute later, the Indians earned back-to-back penalty corners, the second of which was converted by Nilam Sanjeep Xess to make the scoreline 5-0. In the 24th minute, Sunil deflected in Karthi Selvam's pass from near post to make it 6-0. After the change of ends, Uttam missed yet another chance as she shot wide from close range with only the Indonesian goalie to beat.Minutes later, India secured their seventh penalty corner but Junius Rumaropen made a double save once again. In the 40th minute, Selvam tapped in after he was set by a brilliant Rajbhar, who dodged past three-four Indonesian defenders with his stickwork and strong play. India secured three consecutive penalty corners and Dipsan scored from the last to keep the team's hopes alive.Dipsan scored his second from the penalty stroke in the 42nd minute. The Indians managed two more penalty corners but on both the occasion Dipsan faltered. Belimagga then scored two goals in a span of two minutes before Dipsan completed his hat-trick by converting India's 14th penalty corner to make the scoreline 12-0. The Indians earned a handful of penalty corners thereafter but the chances went abegging. Tirkey then converted a penalty corner in the 47th minute before Sudev scored from a rebound from another set piece, five minutes from the hooter.Desperate for goals, the Indians attacked with numbers and their ploy bore fruit when Karthi Selvam scored from a field effort. Tirkey converted two more penalty corners in the final minute of the game to extend India's stay in the tournament.—PTI

Rising to the occasion, the Indian men's hockey team slammed six goals in the final quarter for a crushing 16-0 victory against Indonesia, a result that took the holders into the knockout stage of the Asia Cup but shut the World Cup door on Pakistan, in Jakarta on Thursday.

Hockey: India thrash Indonesia 16-0; qualify for Super 4s

Jakarta: India pulled off a stunning 2-1 win in the Hero Asia Cup 2022 Super 4s match against Japan at the GBK Sports Complex Hockey Stadium, here on Saturday. Manjeet (8'), and Pawan Rajbhar (35') starred for India, scoring the two goals for the team. Takuma Niwa (18') scored the sole goal for Japan in the match.The match started with Japan earning an early Penalty Corner, but Yoshiki Kirishita's dragflick went wide off the mark. Raiki Fujishima struck the ball into the back of the nets in the next minute, but the umpire had blown his whistle before the shot was taken due to an infringement in the lead-up, and the goal was disallowed. Manjeet showcased individual brilliance from the left flanks in the 8th minute, as he broke through Japan's defence to give India a 1-0 lead. Nilam Sanjeep Xess had a chance to double India's lead from a Penalty Corner as the first quarter came to an end.—IANS

India pulled off a stunning 2-1 win in the Hero Asia Cup 2022 Super 4s match against Japan at the GBK Sports Complex Hockey Stadium, here on Saturday.

India men's hockey team beat Japan 2-1 in Asia Cup 2022

Jakarta: India kept their title hopes alive after playing out a thrilling 3-3 draw in the Asia Cup 2022 Super 4s match against Malaysia at the GBK Sports Complex Hockey Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia on Sunday. Despite trailing early on, India fought valiantly in the match with Vishnukant Singh (32') reducing the deficit in the third quarter. SV Sunil (53') and Nilam Sanjeep Xess (55') scored a goal each in the final quarter to bring India back in the contest. Razie Rahim (12', 21', 56') starred for Malaysia, scoring a hat-trick in the match. The match started with India pressing deep inside Malaysia's circle with Karthi Selvam and Pawan Rajbhar combining to put pressure on the opposition's defence. India goalkeeper Suraj Karkera made two back-to-back saves after he denied Muhammad Hassan a goalscoring opportunity, and then saving the Penalty Corner. Malaysia won another PC with three minutes to go in the first quarter, and Razie Rahim converted the opportunity to give his team a 1-0 lead.Trailing by a goal, India showcased an urgency in attack to quickly get back on level terms at the start of the second quarter. SV Sunil and Maninder Singh combined to create a chance from the right flanks, but the Malaysian defence averted the danger. Razie Rahim doubled Malaysia's lead from another Penalty Corner in the 21st minute. Minutes later, Faizal Saari struck twice on target, but was denied by the Indian defence. India kept Malaysia at bay for the remainder of the second quarter and the match went to halftime with Malaysia leading by two goals. India earned an early penalty corner in the second half and Vishnukant Singh made the most of the opportunity, scoring a goal from a rebound. Minutes later, Karthi Selvam sent an excellent cross inside the circle, but it just went wide off the man inside the circle. India received another Penalty Corner with six minutes to go in the third quarter, but were unable to get the equaliser. Goalkeeper Pankaj Rajak made a stunning save to deny Malaysia the opportunity to extend their lead as the third quarter came to a close. Early on in the final quarter, Pawan Rajbhar showcased individual brilliance to break through Malaysia's midfield and he passed the ball to SV Sunil inside the circle. The veteran converted the goal from an acute angle as India levelled the score to 2-2. Minutes later, Nilam Sanjeep Xess scored from a Penalty Corner as India took a 3-2 lead in the match.But India conceded another PC a minute later, and Razie Rahim made the most of the opportunity to level the scoreline once again. India made threatening runs inside the circle, but Japan held their nerves till the final whistle and the match ended in a draw. India are currently placed in the second position in the Super 4s Pool table of Asia Cup 2022 with 4 points, after having beaten Japan 2-1 in their first Super 4s game on Saturday. India will play their next game of the Super 4s against Korea on Tuesday.—ANI

India kept their title hopes alive after playing out a thrilling 3-3 draw in the Asia Cup 2022 Super 4s match against Malaysia at the GBK Sports Complex Hockey Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia on Sunday.

Asia Cup 2022: India play thrilling 3-3 draw against Malaysia in Super 4s

Bengaluru: Indian Men and Women Hockey teams have left for Lausanne, Switzerland to participate in the inaugural edition of the FIH Hockey5s competition, which will be held from June 4 and 5.In the competition, the Men's team is scheduled to play against Malaysia, Pakistan, Poland and Switzerland. On the other hand, the Women's team will face South Africa, Uruguay, Poland and Switzerland in the round-robin stage. The top two teams will square off against each other in the Final on June 5. Rajani Etimarpu-led Indian Women's team will take on Uruguay in the opening match on June 4 followed by a match against Poland on the same day.They will then square off against the hosts Switzerland and South Africa, respectively on June 5. Expressing the team's excitement ahead of their departure, Rajani stated, "Hockey5s will be a different ball game altogether. Our skills, speed and everything will be tested. It will be challenging for sure, but I think it will really exciting format to play. We've got a couple of players in the team who are acquainted with this format, and we have had good preparations at the camp. We are looking forward to representing our country in the inaugural edition of the Hockey5s."Meanwhile, the Indian Men's Team led by Gurinder Singh will play their opening match against the hosts Switzerland, followed by a match against Pakistan on the opening day. They will then face Malaysia and Poland respectively on June 5."We are really excited to play a different version of hockey at an international level that too in a beautiful country. It's a fast-paced and challenging format. Many of our players have played this format before at the Youth Olympics, so we are confident of doing well," Gurinder expressed. The Indian Women's team will play their opening match against Uruguay at 1800 hrs IST, while the Men's team will take on the hosts Switzerland at 1830 hrs IST.—ANI

Indian Men and Women Hockey teams have left for Lausanne, Switzerland to participate in the inaugural edition of the FIH Hockey5s competition, which will be held from June 4 and 5.

Indian hockey teams leave for inaugural FIH Hockey5s competition

Jakarta: Korea dashed Malaysia's hopes of a maiden Hero Asia Cup trophy as they reigned supreme with a thrilling 2-1 final victory here at the GBK Sports Arena on Wednesday. This is the fifth time the Korean side have lifted the prestigious trophy. They have won the title in 1994, 1999, 2009 and 2013. Having won the Hero Asian Champions Trophy in December last year, Korea looked like a confident bunch going into the final, a place they earned by pipping India in a 3-3 draw on Tuesday. The team, with experienced players, recovered well in time to put up a grand fight against the Malaysian unit who looked poised to win the title race, not having lost a single match in the tournament.After a goalless first quarter, Korea put Malaysia under the pump with a splendid field goal in the 17th minute. The 1-0 lead certainly put pressure on Malaysia who struggled to find their zing in converting chances. They managed an equalizer in the 25th minute through Syed Cholan that brought some respite in the Malaysian dug out but Korea, who had draw against India 4-4 in a high scoring match, worked their strategy to continue to put pressure on the Malaysian defence. Though the third quarter went goalless, the Korea team's turning point of the match came in the 52nd minute when they scored a quickfire field goal off a fantastic counter attack set up after Malaysia failed to convert back-to-back PCs.Malaysia created plenty of opportunities to score in the dying minutes of the match, one such opportunity came when Faizal Saari took a shot on goal but Korean goalkeeper was on target to make a fine save. The Korean defence, one of the best in Asian hockey, lived up to the billing and defended the scoreline. Though they found an opportunity to extend the lead to 3-1 when they were awarded the penalty stroke, the chance went missing with Malaysian goalie stopping the ?attempt by Jang Jonghyun. Earlier in the day, India beat Japan 1-0 to win Bronze while Pakistan finish fifth in the tournament after 8-0 win against Bangladesh. Hero Player of the Match was awarded to Jang Jonghyun, who completed his 300 international matches for Korea today.Awards: Hero Top scorer of the tournament was Razie Rahim of Malaysia who scored 13 goalsOBO Promising Goal Keeper of the Tournament Akmal Hussain of PakistanOBO Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament Takashi Yoshikawa of JapanRising Star of the Tournament India's Uttam SinghHero Best Player of the Tournament Jang Jonghyun of Korea, Man of the matchSpecial recognition:AHF Athlete Ambassador : SV Sunil of IndiaAHF Athlete Ambassador: Razie Rahim of MalaysiaAHF Athlete Ambassador: Mubashar Ali of Pakistan—IANS

Korea dashed Malaysia's hopes of a maiden Hero Asia Cup trophy as they reigned supreme with a thrilling 2-1 final victory here at the GBK Sports Arena on Wednesday.

Asia Cup hockey: Korea beat Malaysia 2-1 in a thrilling final

Lausanne: Indian women's hockey team went down 3-4 to Uruguay in their opening match, and then lost 1-3 to Poland in the FIH Hockey 5s 2022 at the Place de la Navigation Stadium here on Saturday. In the first match of the day, Ajmina Kujur (1', 7'), and Vaishnavi Vithal Phalke (18') scored the three goals for India, while Uruguay captain Teresa Viana (2', 10', 19') scored a hat-trick, and Manuela Vilar (6') also scored a goal to help her team pick up the win. India began the match strongly as Ajmina Kujur put India in front 30 seconds into the match. Uruguay captain Teresa Viana scored the equaliser straightaway to make it 1-1. Manuela Vilar put Uruguay in the lead a few minutes later, but their lead did not last long as Ajmina Kujur scored her second goal in the match to level the scoreline again. But Uruguay took the lead before the end of the first half as Teresa Viana scored her second goal of the match.Showcasing urgency to get back on level terms, India pressed deep inside Uruguay's half straightaway in the second half. India women's hockey team reaped rewards for their tenacity as Vaishnavi Vithal Phalke struck the ball from a distance to level the scoreline. Just at the stroke of the final whistle, the Uruguay captain Teresa Viana pumped up a long shot into the nets to get her hat-trick in the match and help Uruguay pick a 4-3 win, Hockey India informed in a release on Saturday. In the second match of the day, Rashmita Minz (6') scored the sole goal for India women's team, while Poland captain Monika Polewczak (16'), Amelia Katerla (18'), and Natasza Suszynska scored the three goals to help their team pick up the win.India began cautiously against Poland and started stitching passes to create danger inside the opposition's half. Captain and goalkeeper Rajani Etimarpu made a stunning save to deny Poland a chance to take an early lead. Minutes later, Rashmita Minz put India in the lead with a shot from near the halfway line. India kept up the pressure on the Polish defence as the first half ended with India ahead by a goal. Trailing by a goal, Uruguay started threatening moves inside India's half, but India captain Rajani Etimarpu continued to stand tall to deny the equaliser. Mumtaz Khan received a chance to double India's lead from a rebound, but Polish goalkeeper Anna Gabara made the save. Captain Monika Polewczak managed to score the equaliser for Poland. Amelia Katerla and Natasza Suszynska scored two more late goals before the final whistle to help their team pick up a thrilling comeback win.India will take on Switzerland in their next match on June 5 and then meet South Africa later in the day.—IANS

Indian women's hockey team went down 3-4 to Uruguay in their opening match, and then lost 1-3 to Poland in the FIH Hockey 5s 2022 at the Place de la Navigation Stadium here on Saturday.

Women’s Hockey 5s: India women go down against Uruguay, Poland

Lausanne: The Indian men's team reached the final of the inaugural FIH Hockey 5s tournament after defeating Malaysia 7-3 and Poland 6-2 here on Sunday. In the first match of the day, India thrashed Malaysia 7-3, scoring four goals in the second half before beating Poland 6-2 in the second match. India, who had beaten Switzerland 4-3 and drawn with arch-rivals Pakistan 2-2 on Saturday, topped the group with 10 points from three wins and one draw. India now will face Poland in the final later in the day. Raheel Mohammed continued his good form scoring three goals against Malaysia and then struck twice against Poland to play a pivotal role in India's victory. He has already scored eight goals in four matches to lead the goal-scoring chart. The Indians led 3-2 at the half time in the 20-minute match.Against Poland, India completely dominated the match, scoring 5 goals at half time period. The scorers were Sanjay (2nd), Raheel (4th and 9th), Gursahibjit Singh (7th) and Mandeep Mor (10th).The Indian men's team had a mixed day in the FIH Hockey 5s, beating hosts Switzerland 4-3 and playing out a 2-2 draw against Pakistan in their first two matches on the opening day of the competition on Saturday. The Indian men's team led by Gurinder Singh edged out the hosts Switzerland 4-3 to open their campaign in FIH Hockey 5s. Mohammed Raheel (2', 10'), Rabichandra Moirangthem (5') and captain Gurinder Singh (19') scored in India's thrilling win, while Jonas Winkler (6'), Fabio Reinhard (11'), and Patrick Kruesi (16') were the goalscorers for Switzerland.In the second match, the Indian men's hockey team played out a dramatic 2-2 draw against Pakistan. Mohammed Raheel (1') and Gursahibjit Singh (18') were the goalscorers for India, while Arshad (7') and Abdul Rehman (20') scored for Pakistan in an intense match.—IANS

The Indian men's team reached the final of the inaugural FIH Hockey 5s tournament after defeating Malaysia 7-3 and Poland 6-2 here on Sunday. In the first match of the day, India thrashed Malaysia 7-3, scoring four goals in the second half before beating Poland 6-2 in the second match.

Men’s Hockey 5s: India face Poland in final

Switzerland: Indian Men's Hockey Team registered a thrilling 6-4 comeback win against Poland to clinch the inaugural FIH Hockey5s title here on Sunday. Bobby Singh Dhami (11', 19') and Mohammed Raheel (13', 17'), who finished as the top goalscorer at FIH Hockey 5s, netted twice, while Sanjay (8') and Captain Gurinder Singh (9') also contributed to the team's victory. The goalscorers for Poland were Mateusz Nowakowski (1'), Robert Pawlak (5'), Wojciech Rutkowski (5') and Captain Jacek Kurowski (18').The first half started with Poland piling pressure on India and were successful in converting their chances as they established a three-goal cushion inside the first five minutes, courtesy of goals from Mateusz Nowakowski (1'), Robert Pawlak (5') and Wojciech Rutkowski (5'). However, India responded quickly as pulled back two back-to-back goals through Sanjay and Captain Gurinder Singh in the eighth and ninth minute respectively to make the scorers 2-3 at the end of the first half.The second half started on a positive note for the Indian team as Boby Singh Dhami scored the equalizer in the 11th minute, and the leading goalscorer of the tournament Raheel went on to give India a lead in the 13th minute. in the 17th minute, Raheel added the fifth goal to the tally, but Poland quickly pulled back one through Captain Jacek Kurowski's strike in the 18th minute. However, Bobby Singh Dhami scored a late goal before the final whistle to help India pick up a thrilling 6-4 win to clinch the inaugural FIH Hockey5s Title. Earlier, India registered massive 7-3 and 6-2 wins against Malaysia and Poland respectively to advance to the Final of the inaugural edition of the FIH Hockey5s. In their third match, the Indian Men's Team registered a comprehensive 7-3 win against Malaysia. Mohammed Raheel (8', 14', 18') starred with a hat-trick, while Gursahibjit Singh (1', 17') and Sanjay (10', 12') each netted twice for India. Firadus Rosdi (4', 13') and Captain Nabil Noor (9') were the goalscorers for Malaysia.An attacking start to the match saw India taking the lead in the very first minute of the match as Gursahibjit Singh found the back of the net on a rebound. However, Malaysia scored an equalizer through Firadus Rosdi in the fourth minute. In-form Mohammed Raheel regained India's lead in the 8th minute, but Malaysia were quick to equalize as they scored through Captain Nabil Noor's strike in the very next minute. Sanjay's fiery tomahawk in the last minute helped India restore a 3-2 lead at the end of the first half. The start of the second half saw both India and Malaysia scoring a goal each in the first three minutes. Sanjay scored India's fourth and his second goal of the match in the 12th minute, while Malaysia pulled one back through Firadus Rosdi in the 13th minute. However, India went on to take control of the match as they raced away to a remarkable 7-3 win. Raheel scored two goals in the 14th and 18th minute to complete his hat-trick, while Gursahibjit scored his second goal of the match in the 17th minute.Meanwhile, in their final round-robin match, Gurinder &amp; Co. outplayed Poland 6-2. Mohammed Raheel (4', 9') bagged a brace, while Sanjay (2'), Gursahibjit Singh (7'), Mandeep Mor (10') and Rabichandra Moirangthem (15') scored a goal each in India's big win. On the other hand, Gracjan Jarzynski (13') and Captain Jacek Kurowski (16') were the goalscorers for Poland. India rocketed to a 2-0 lead inside the first four minutes of the match as Sanjay opened the scoring in the second minute and Raheel scored the second in the fourth minute. Gursahibjit went on to add the third goal to India's tally in the 7th minute and two back-to-back goals from Mohammed Raheel (9') and Mandeep Mor (10') meant that India took a commanding 5-0 lead into the half-time break.The start of the second half saw Poland create goals-scoring opportunities which helped them in pulling a goal back in the 13th Minute through Gracjan Jarzynski, but a minute later Rabichandra Moirangthem added the sixth goal to India's tally. In the 16th minute, Poland scored the second goal through a challenge hit which was converted by their Captain Jacek Kurowski. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Pawan made some fine saves in the closing stages of the match to ensure India entered the Final of the tournament with a massive 6-2 win.—ANI

Indian Men's Hockey Team registered a thrilling 6-4 comeback win against Poland to clinch the inaugural FIH Hockey5s title here on Sunday. Bobby Singh Dhami (11', 19') and Mohammed Raheel (13', 17'), who finished as the top goalscorer at FIH Hockey 5s, netted twice, while Sanjay (8') and Captain Gurinder Singh (9') also contributed to the team's victory. 

Indian men's hockey team beat Poland 6-4

New Delhi: A magnificent India made a stunning comeback from being three-goal down to beat Poland 6-4 in a pulsating final to clinch the inaugural FIH Hockey 5s championship, in Lausanne, on Sunday.India, who had topped the five-team league standings with three wins and one draw en route final, ended their campaign with an unbeaten record.This was India's second win of day over the same opponents. India had beaten Poland, who had finished second with two wins and as many losses, 6-2 in their round-robin league match three and half hours earlier in the day. Playing their third match of the day, the Indians were stunned for a while after Poland pumped in three goals without reply in the first five minutes of play through Mateusz Nowakowski (1st), Wojciech Rutkowski (5th) and captain Robert Pawlak (5th).Poland played just one match on Sunday before the final as against India's two and perhaps that might have some effect on Graham Reid's men in the fast-paced format played in just 20 minutes in a match. But the Indians regrouped quickly from the initial jolt with Sanjay and captain Gurinder Singh finding the target in the eighth and ninth minutes respectively to go to the breather trailing 2-3.It was just a matter of time that the Indians got their mojo back as they surged to 4-3 lead after fine field goals from Dhami Boby Singh (11th) and tournament's most prolific scorer Raheel Mohammed (13th).Once they were on the ascendancy, there was no stopping the Indians against a hapless Poland as Raheel (17th) and Singh (19th) struck their respective second goal of the match to complete the formalities.Polish captain Jacek Kurowski pulled one back in the 18th minute to reduce the goal margin.Raheel ended the tournament with 10 goals from five matches at the top of the goal-scorer's chart.Earlier, India first outplayed Malaysia 7-3, pumping in four goals in the second half in a stunning show before beating Poland 6-2 in the second match of the day.India had topped the five-team standings after the round-robin league stage with 10 points from three wins and one draw. India had beaten hosts Switzerland 4-3 and drawn with arch-rivals Pakistan 2-2 on Saturday.Pakistan could have qualified for the final and faced India had they won against Malaysia in their final league match but the match ended 5-5 draw. Pakistan finished third with five points.The Indian women's team, however, failed to make it to the final after drawing 4-4 with South Africa in the second match after beating hosts Switzerland 4-3 earlier in the day. The Indian women would have entered the final had they beaten South Africa by a margin of two goals. They finished fourth in the five-team standings with four points from one win, one draw and two losses.In the first men's match of the day, Raheel Mohammed continued his goal-scoring spree as he fired in three goals against Malaysia and then struck twice against Poland to play a pivotal role in India booking a summit clash berth.He had also found the target thrice on Saturday -- twice against Switzerland and once against Pakistan. He has accumulated eight goals from four matches to lead the tournament's goal-scoring chart.Besides Raheel's three strikes in the 8th, 14th and 18th minutes, Gursahibjit Singh (1st and 17th) and Sanjay (10th and 12th) were the other Indian scorers against Malaysia who scored through Rosdi Firadus (4th and 13th) and captain Noor Nabil (9th).The Indians led 3-2 at the half time in the 20-minute match.India completely dominated the match against Poland, surging to a 5-0 lead at half time through goals from Sanjay (2nd), Raheel (4th and 9th), Gursahibjit Singh (7th) and Mandeep Mor (10th).Moirangthem Rabichandra (15th) added one goal for India in the second session while Arzynski Gracjan (13th) and captain Kurowski Jacek (16th) reduced the margin for Poland.—PTI

A magnificent India made a stunning comeback from being three-goal down to beat Poland 6-4 in a pulsating final to clinch the inaugural FIH Hockey 5s championship, in Lausanne, on Sunday.

FIH Hockey 5s: Indian men's team crowned champions

Antwerp: The Indian men’s hockey team will return to FIH Pro League action when they take on the Olympic champions Belgium in a crucial two-legged contest on June 11 and 12 at Sportcentrum Wilrijkse Plein here. Currently placed second on the pool table with 27 points in 12 matches, the Indian team is coming off a successful home leg. After starting their home leg with a 5-4 win and a 3-5 loss against Spain, the Indian team went on to secure match points against every team they played against — Argentina (2-2 (1-3 SO) and 4-3), England (3-3 (3-2 SO) and 4-3) and Germany (3-0 and 3-1). Speaking ahead of the two-legged tie against hosts Belgium, men’s captain Amit Rohidas said, “We’ve had a successful home leg, and I must say we have gone from strength to strength in the season so far. This will be the most important phase of the Pro League. We will be facing two strong teams at their home, so it will be challenging.“We also got a good amount of time at the national camp in SAI, Bengaluru to introspect our performances. From structure to finishing, we’ve worked on all the aspects of the game. The plan will be to simply repeat what we’ve done in the training,” added Rohidas. Meanwhile, vice-captain Harmanpreet stated, “It’s been a great season so far. Many young players got a chance to play against top teams and they’ve grown with each match. We are in a good position, and our focus will be to carry forward the momentum we have gained from the home leg.”The last time both teams faced each other was during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics semifinal where India lost 2-5 and Belgium went on to win the Olympic gold. “Look it was in the past; and this is a different stage. Of course, our aim will be to win both the matches and put ourselves in a strong position in the points table, but for that, we will have to play good hockey. Our focus will be on executing our skills,” Rohidas said. Belgium are also tied at the same points (27 points in 12 matches) but are placed third in the pool table due to a lesser goal difference compared to India. “The points table is getting intense, and we’ve got only four matches left that too against teams like Belgium and Netherlands. This is the challenge we were waiting for. We will go all out against them,” added Harmanpreet, who is currently the leading goalscorer in the league.—IANS

The Indian men’s hockey team will return to FIH Pro League action when they take on the Olympic champions Belgium in a crucial two-legged contest on June 11 and 12 at Sportcentrum Wilrijkse Plein here.

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