India produced a lacklustre and disappointing performance in their second consecutive match to go down 0-2 to Germany and end their pool engagements on a winless note at the Hockey World League (Final), in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
Dishing out a superlative display, Dabang Mumbai swamped Uttar Pradesh Wizards 6-3 in their concluding round-robin game of the Hockey India League to keep their hopes of entering the semi-finals alive.
Paralympic gold-winners Avani Lekhara, Sumit Antil, Pramod Bhagat, Krishna Nagar, Manish Narwal were also given the Khel Ratna at a dazzling awards ceremony on Saturday.
Dabang Mumbai avenged their bitter loss to Kalinga Lancers in their home game with a sensational 5-2 win in Bhubaneswar that ensured they earned top spot on the points table again.
A magnificent 60th-minute goal by Dabang Mumbai's Robbert Kemperman snatched victory from defending Champions Jaypee Punjab Warriors by a narrow 2-1 margin in the Hockey India League, in Chandigarh, on Saturday.
Veteran midfielder Sardar Singh was on Friday dropped from India's 18-member squad for next month's Hockey World League Final, while the fit-again Rupinder Pal Singh and Birendra Lakra made comebacks.
The men's team last participated in an international competition in February last year when they played the FIH Hockey Pro League matches against Australia in Bhubaneswar.
'If we want to ensure this isn't a once-in-four-decade phenomenon, then we have to produce 1,800 players all the time, create infrastructure, so that we are constantly challenging at the top of the ladder.'
Punjab Police beat Punjab and Sind Bank 10-9 in sudden death tie-breaker to lift the DDA Invitational Hockey title.
The Indian men's junior hockey team maintained its unbeaten run on the tour of England, thrashing the hosts 7-1 at the Bisham Abbey Sports Centre in Marlow. Ajay Yadav (27th, 43rd minute) and Varun Kumar (32nd, 35th) scored twice each for the Indians, while Manpreet (15th), Gurjant Singh (38th) and Simranjeet Singh (40th) accounted for the other goals.
Dabang Mumbai made a splendid recovery from 0-4 down to draw level with Kalinga Lancers before a timely field goal by the visitors buried their hopes of a maiden win as they went down 4-6 in a Hockey India League match (HIL) in Mumbai on Sunday.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is planning to have India and Pakistan play their home and away matches in Europe if the arch-rivals face off in the Olympic qualifying tournament for a berth at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Captain Manpreet Singh and goalkeeper P R Sreejesh are among a few senior India players rested for next month's Olympic hockey test event in Tokyo. Besides Manpreet and Sreejesh, defender Surender Kumar was also rested.
Hosts India produced a spirited performance to stun Olympic silver medallist Belgium in the shoot-out and progress to the semi-finals of the Hockey World League (HWL) final after both the teams were locked at 3-3 at the end of regulation time, in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday.
Veteran midfielder Sardar Singh on Saturday returned to the national team as Hockey India named a strong 18-member squad under the captaincy of Manpreet Singh for the Asia Cup to be held in Dhaka from October 11-22.
Drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh scored a hat-trick as India humiliated lowly Oman 9-0 to enter the semi-finals in the eighth junior men's Asia Cup hockey tournament, in Kuantan, Malaysia, on Thursday.
Former captain Sardar Singh was brought back to bolster the Indian hockey team's mid-field while Birendra Lakra was included to shore up the defence line-up for the upcoming Champions Trophy, beginning on June 23 in Breda, The Netherlands.
India produced an impressive display but wasted chances galore as they held defending champions and world number two Australia to a 1-1 draw in their opening pool match of the Hockey World League Final, in Bhubaneswar, on Friday.
The Indian junior men's hockey team lost to Great Britain 3-4 in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out in the Sultan of Johor Cup final in Johor Bahru on Sunday.
It was a perfect display of attacking hockey as the Indian strikers toyed with the Malaysian defence with short passes, one-touch ball delivery to pump five beautiful field goals.
About 70 ex-servicemen on Tuesday sat on a dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against the delay in implementation of the 'One Rank, One Pension' scheme even as the relay-hunger strike by retired soldiers on the issue entered its ninth day.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday
The sixth ranked India, who just needed a draw to seal a place in Sunday's summit clash, produced a superlative performance after the change of ends to pump in four goals -- three field strikes and one through penalty corner.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Wednesday
Skipper Moritz Fuerste led from the front with two goals as Kalinga Lancers thrashed Dabang Mumbai 4-1 in to win their maiden Hockey India League title, in Chandigarh, on Sunday.
But at the end of the day, the Indians came out superior and continued their recent domination over Pakistan that includes back-to-back victories in the Hockey World League Semi-Final in London earlier this year.
India went through some anxious dying moments before eking out a close 5-4 win over hosts Malaysia and registered their second consecutive win of the eighth junior men's Asia Cup hockey tournament, in Kuantan, on Sunday.
Overall, the record stands 1-1 between the two sides as Pakistan had the last laugh in the 2006 Games in Melbourne.
India's junior men's hockey team came back strongly in the ongoing 5th Sultan of Johor Cup as they defeated Argentina 3-2 in the third league match in Johor Bahru on Wednesday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday
Rain spoiled India's party as they struggled in heavy pitch conditions to lose 0-1 to Olympic champions Argentina and crash out of title race in the Hockey World League (HWL) Final, in Bhubaneswar, on Friday.
Favourites India maintained their unbeaten run in the tournament and eked out a fighting 2-1 win over a spirited South Africa in their final Pool D match to book a place in the quarterfinals of the men's Junior Hockey World Cup at the Major Dhyan Astroturf stadium in New Delhi on Monday. India scored both their goals from field efforts through skipper Harjeet Singh (11th minute) and Mandeep Singh (55th), while Kyle Lion-Cachet (28th) found the net for the Africans. India, thus, finished the pool engagements with possible nine points from three wins and will now face second placed team in Pool C, Spain in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
Family members praised the government, saying it was a revenge taken by the armed forces for the martyrdom of soldiers in the Pulwama terror attack.
Harmanpreet Singh struck twice as India edged past hosts Malaysia 2-1 in their fourth league match of the 5th Sultan of Johor Cup, Junior Hockey tournament in Johor Bahru on Thursday.
Young striker Dilpreet Singh scored a hat-trick as India crushed Oman 11-0.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday
SV Sunil's oodles of experience came in handy as his 59th minute strike enabled India to pip a gritty Wales 4-3 in their second Pool B encounter at the Commonwealth Games, in Gold Coast.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Tuesday
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Saturday
Mary was back in her preferred 48kg category as she overcame the challenge from younger competitors to make it to the Indian team for the marquee continental event, which is to be held from November 2 to November 11 in the Ho Chi Minh City.