Hosts United Arab Emirates will look to shake off the drubbing from India when they face debutants Oman in a Group A Asia Cup match in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Brimming with confidence after three consecutive victories, India will have to guard against complacency when they take on hosts Malaysia, a side capable of springing surprises, in the semi-final of the ninth Asia Cup hockey tournament in Ipoh, Malaysia, on Friday.
Japan eked out a hard-fought 3-1 win over debutants Oman to finish fifth, while Bangladesh managed to avoid the wooden spoon by thrashing minnows Chinese Taipei 11-3 in the classification matches of the 9th Asia Cup hockey tournament in Ipoh, Malaysia on Saturday.
India sealed the numero uno spot in the International Cricket Council Twenty20 rankings after Mahendra Singh Dhoni's side won the Asia Cup in Mirpur and will now enter the World T20 as the top team.
Debutants Oman dished out a resolute batting effort to register a nerve-wracking, two-wicket win over experienced Ireland in their Group A qualifying match of the ICC World Twenty20, in Dharamsala on Wednesday.
Drag-flickers Rupinderpal Singh and V R Raghunath scored hat-tricks as India extended their winning run in the Asia Cup hockey tournament, trouncing Bangladesh 9-1 in their concluding Pool B match at the Sultan Azlan Shah stadium in Ipoh, Malaysia, on Wednesday.
The Asia Cup triumph, during which Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men did not lose a single match, is the latest confidence-booster that the Indians received heading into the big event following convincing victories over Australia and Sri Lanka in the run-up.
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