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.
Star drag-flicket Gurjit Kaur made it 4-0 by converting a penalty corner in the 10th minute.
The lowest ranked team in the World Cup won 4-3 for their first victory in Pool A.
Eight-time Olympic champions India find itself in a lowly ninth position among men's teams in the recently-released FIH World Hockey Rankings.
India swept the International Hockey Federation's annual awards on Wednesday, claiming all the top honours, based on a voting system which was lambasted as a "failure" by men's Olympic champions Belgium, prompting the FIH to say that it would try to figure why some associations did not cast their ballot.
Going by the teams' past 4-4 win-loss record in World Cups, there is little to separate the two hockey powerhouses. But a win on Thursday will not only earn one of them a spot in the title clash, but also give them the edge when it boils down to rivalry between the two countries in the tournament.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) signed a major sponsorship deal with two-wheeler giant Hero MotoCorp for all events of the world body to be held in India in the next four years.
Defending champions Belgium found the equaliser with six minutes left in the match to play out a thrilling 2-2 draw against Germany and keep themselves in the hunt for a direct quarter-final berth in the FIH Men's World Cup, in Bhubaneswar, on Tuesday.
India have won three medals in the World Cup so far -- a third place finish in the inaugural edition in 1971, followed by a silver in 1973 and gold in 1975 at Kuala Lumpur.
Senior players like Manpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh will give the tournament a miss.
Hockey India appointed former Olympic gold-medallist V Baskaran as a coach of the men's national team on Wednesday and he will work under the recently-appointed chief coach Terry Walsh.
The Indian hockey team that won a second successive Olympic bronze for the country here on Thursday featured 11 players, who will come back as two-time medallists from the quadrennial showpiece.
The ongoing hockey World Cup proved India is perfectly safe for visitors and Australian cricketers should put aside their security apprehensions and play in the Indian Premier League, star Kookaburra player Jamie Dwyer said in New Delhi on Thursday.
Never give up, fight till last moment: Sreejesh's learning from Rohit's men
Harmanpreet, Sreejesh shortlisted for FIH Hockey Stars Awards
Germany ended Belgium's dominance in global hockey in the last five years after yet another stunning comeback from two-goal deficit to beat the defending champions in the penalty shoot-out to win the FIH Hockey Men's World Cup for a third time, in Bhubaneswar, on Sunday.
He has led Argentina to the bronze medal in last year's Champions Trophy, but skipper Matias Vila is realistic enough to admit that his team does not stand with a good chance of a podium finish in the forthcoming hockey World Cup to be held New Delhi from February 28 to March 13.
Australia hockey captain Jamie Dwyer is looking forward to playing in the Hero Honda FIH World Cup to be held in New Delhi's Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium from February 28 to March 13 next year and reckons defending champions Germany as the team to be most feared.
The 36-year-old goalkeeper, a veteran of 328 international matches, took to social media to announce his decision.
Australia on Friday pulled out of several upcoming FIH tournaments, including the junior men's hockey World Cup slated to be held in India later this year, citing COVID-19 related government travel restrictions.
The Indian men's hockey team, which ended a 41-year medal drought by clinching a bronze medal in Tokyo, rose to 3rd in the International Hockey Federation (FIH) World Rankings, behind Belgium and Australia, respectively.
International Hockey Federation on Friday defended extending the deadline for Hockey India's (HI) elections but also asserted that India would be barred from next year's World Cup if they fail to put in place a democratically elected body by the end of January.
Taking strong exception to FIH's "weak" censure to Pakistani players for their obscene behaviour after beating India in the Champions Trophy semi-final, Hockey India decided that it would not host any event sanctioned by the world body until strong punishment is handed out to the offenders.
'We have chosen an experienced side for the Commonwealth Games and the players believe they have a good shot at a medal'
Janneke Schopman resigned on Friday, days after creating a furore by claiming that she was not valued
The final quarter witnessed an aggressive display from both sides, with Germany coming close to extending their lead.
Olympic champions Australia turned on the heat and romped to a 4-0 victory over Argentina for their first win in two Pool A matches.
The other teams in India's pool are Spain, New Zealand and hosts Japan. The Pool B is made up of Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Canada and South Africa in the groupings announced by world governing body FIH on Saturday.
The Indian Junior Women's Hockey Team emerged Champions of the Women's Junior Asia Cup 2023 held in Kakamigahara.
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Shaharyar Khan has refused to follow in the footsteps of Pakistan Hockey Federation which announced this week that it would boycott future international events in India.
'Right now hockey is totally changed and anyone can beat anyone depending on the day. It depends on how many chances you create.'
Hockey India's long-serving CEO, Elena Norman resigned from her post on Tuesday, February 27. Norman steps down after holding the position for nearly 13 years.
India women claim hockey CWG medal after 16 years
The Indian junior men's team beat Pakistan in a thriller in the final of the Men's Junior Asia Cup 2023.
Gagan Ajit Singh, Jugraj Singh and Prabhjot Singh are shortlisted Young Player of the Year award, while Devesh Chauhan and Dilip Tirkey are in the running for the senior award.
Mumbai boy Keegan Pereira, who studied in a school in the northern suburb of Bandra before migrating to Canada with his parents, will represent his adopted country in the Hero Honda FIH World Cup Hockey tournament, commencing in Delhi later this month.
India named South Africa's Craig Fulton as the new chief coach of the men's hockey team, who finished a disappointing ninth in the World Cup at home.
The Indian women's hockey team ended a three-match losing streak by upstaging Japan 2-0 in its penultimate pool match at the FIH World Cup at the Jockey Club in Rosario, Argentina, on Sunday. The team -- which was convincingly beaten in their first three matches by the Netherlands, Australia and Germany -- led 1-0 at half-time, with Rani Rampal scoring in the 14th minute.
India registered a thrilling 6-3 win over South Africa to advance to the final of the FIH Hockey5s Women's World Cup in Muscat.
The airline demanded more than a thousand rupees for him to carry 41 inch hockey stick
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