Having made their best-ever start to a season, Gujarat Giants would back themselves to get past defending champions Mumbai Indians in the Women's Premier League (WPL) in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday.
Hockey: India seek World Cup berth through Asia Cup triumph; up against China in opener
The top two teams from the Super 4s will progress to the summit clash, and a draw would be enough for India to seal their place in Sunday's final.
Men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh on Saturday admitted India will have to focus on conceding fewer goals from the touchline and create more scoring opportunities.
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh, who powered India to a second successive bronze medal in hockey at the Olympics in Paris, was on Saturday nominated for the FIH Player of the Year Award.
In the spin department, while seasoned campaigner Deepti Sharma is an automatic choice, it remains to be seen whether India go with both Radha Yadav and Sneh Rana or opt for either one of them.
Arundhati Reddy's 4/22 and Shafali Verma's cameo power India to a 21-run DLS win over Australia in the opening Women's T20I in Sydney.
'But looking at our current performance, I'm confident that a medal in the World Cup is not far off.'
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur said India achieved their objective of adopting a more aggressive approach during the T20I series win over Sri Lanka.
Hockey India announced INR 3 lakh each to players and Rs 1.5 lakh to the support staff.
On paper, India are overwhelming favourites to win the series against Chamari Athapaththu-led visitors.
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh slammed a brace as the Indian men's hockey team outplayed Spain 4-1 in a FIH Pro League match in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
India crush Kazakhstan 15-0 to march into Super 4s with all-win record
'We have been talking about this for many years -- we have been playing good cricket, but we had to win one big tournament, without that, we couldn't talk about change.'
Harmanpreet's penalty corners and Akashdeep's strike helped India down their arch-rivals.
Kamalini, Vaishnavi two new faces in India Women's squad for T20Is against Sri Lanka
Harmanpreet Singh expressed optimism that the team would start well and highlighted the need for both strong attacking and defensive play.
India are confident of reclaiming the men's Asia Cup hockey title after a hiatus of eight years and qualify for next year's World Cup
The Indian men's hockey team outclassed South Korea 4-1 in the final to win the Asia Cup trophy and qualify for next year's World Cup.
It was a moment of immense pride and emotion for the family of Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur as she led Team India to their maiden ICC Women's World Cup title, defeating South Africa in the final at Navi Mumbai.
Formidable India will be eager to register a dominance-extending fourth victory on the bounce in the fourth women's T20I against Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
Rajinder made his senior debut in October last year during a two-match series against Germany, where he shone bright and eight months later, he became a key member of the Indian senior team.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh wants the young Indian hockey players to get familiar with the playing styles of the best teams in the world during the FIH Pro League, and hoped the country would seal a direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup with a title-winning run in Bhubaneswar.
Chief coach Craig Fulton was not fully satisfied with Indian men's hockey team's performance against lowly China in their Asia Cup opener, but stressed that the most important thing was to start with a win.
Having retained the majority of their squad, MI will be the team to beat given their formidable batting, but Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capitals will be out to spoil their party.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and pacer Renuka Singh Thakur have been rested for India women's three-match home ODI series against Ireland.
The general impression that the Indian hockey team concedes late goals has changed with its second successive Olympic bronze medal and the Harmanpreet Singh-led side is one of the best in the world in all aspects, feels the legendary Zafar Iqbal.
Vice-captain Harmanpreet Singh slammed a hat-trick as the Indian men's hockey team beat Wales 4-1 in its final Pool B match to qualify for the semi-finals of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Thursday.
The BCCI has introduced a revised central contract system, under which the Grade A+ category has been discontinued.
India Women beat Australia by 17 runs; clinch historic T20I series victory
For the year 2026, the President has approved the conferment of 131 Padma awards. The list comprises five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri.
Sania Mirza, the tennis icon, made a dazzling entry at the fifth Indian Sports Honours event, donning a stunning floral blazer suit.
Harmanpreet Kaur was on Thursday retained as India captain for the three Women's ODIs against New Zealand while the selectors also picked four uncapped players for the series starting October 24.
The first three matches were low-scoring affairs, but the fourth T20I was a run-fest, with both India and Sri Lanka registering their highest-ever totals in the format.
India's star drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh was on Tuesday named among the five nominees for the men's Player of the Year honour.
The Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports aimed at giving India's youth a "meaningful role in shaping the vision of a Viksit Bharat".
After winning the ODI World Cup title by beating South Africa in the final in Navi Mumbai on Sunday, November 2, 2025, Harmanpreet's advice to budding youngsters is: "Never stop dreaming. You never know where your destiny will take you."
For India, the battle is no longer about proving skill or form, but about crossing the elusive final hurdle that has so often tripped them -- including in this very tournament.
India had earlier lost 1-2 against the Netherlands on Saturday.
Harmanpreet Kaur, Smrit Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Shafali Verma, and Jemimah Rodrigues are poised to see an uplift of 25 to 35 per cent in brand value.
