India showed urgency but it was too little, too late as they suffered a 0-2 defeat at the hands of the Netherlands in their FIH World League Round 3 match in Rotterdam on Saturday.
Reigning champions and World No. 2 Belgium, who won the title in the 2018 in Odisha, will take on South Korea in Bhubneswar.
It would be the first time in 26 years that India would be hosting the European giants in a one-to-one series.
Hours after India lost to Great Britain in the bronze medal play-off, chief coach Sjoerd Marijne said he would like to be with his family after being away for three-and-a-half years.
Over 70 goals were scored on the second day of the men's Junior Hockey World Cup in Odisha, with Spain registering a record-breaking 17-0 win over the USA in a Pool C game, on Thursday.
Since hockey's introduction at Commonwealth Games 24 years ago, World No.1 Australia have been the most dominant force, having won all six gold medals till date.
The Netherlands set up a likely showdown with Argentina in the women's Olympic hockey semi-final by brushing aside Spain 2-0 in their final group match on Monday. Champions Germany qualified as the top team from the opposite pool with four wins when they beat Japan 1-0 in their fifth and final match.
Olympic gold medallists The Netherlands defeated Australia 2-0 in the title showdown to clinch the women's hockey World Cup at the Kyocera Stadium in The Hague on Saturday.
Here are hockey players to watch when the Games formally kick off on July 23:
Former women's hockey team chief coach Sjoerd Marijne's 'full and final' salary was stopped on the recommendations of Hockey India after he was denied a 'No Objection Certificate' for failing to return his official laptop, which, according to the Dutchman, is on its way to India now.
Desperately needing full points from the match, after losing 1-5 to World No.1 Netherlands, 0-2 to Germany and 1-4 to defending champions Great Britain, the Rani Pal-led team scored in the 57 minute through Navneet Kaur to stay in contention for a quarter-final berth.
After the 1-5 drubbing from world No. 1 the Netherlands, the Indians lifted their game but it was not enough to get past world No. 3 and Rio Games bronze-medallists Germany in their second Pool A match at the Oi Hockey stadium.
Two FIH Pro League ties involving the senior men's team, junior men's Asia Cup and senior women's Asian Champions Trophy are among a host of international hockey events, where India was scheduled to take part, that have been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Indian women are clubbed in Pool A alongside hosts England, Canada, Wales and Ghana
Two-time Olympic gold medal-winning hockey legend Keshav Datt died on Wednesday due to age-related ailments, marking the end of a glorious era in the sport.
A heart-wrenching defeat in the semi-finals notwithstanding, a demoralised Indian men's hockey team will have to regroup quickly and aim for a second consecutive podium finish at the Olympics when it takes on Spain in the bronze medal play-off in Paris on Thursday.
World champions Australia got the better of defending champions the Netherlands 3-2 in a high-voltage first semi-final to progress to the title round of the ongoing Hockey World League (HWL) Final at the Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Stadium, in Raiput, on Friday.
The two sides have shared the spoils since 2013. India and Netherlands have faced each other nine times since 2013, winning four apiece while one game finished in a draw.
Indian colts' victory was backed by a grand show of character to hold off pressure from the Dutch side, and the cynosure of India's defence was Rohit who was hard to breach -- he blocked away six successive penalty corners in the final quarter ensuring India emerge victorious. He was awarded player of the match for his efforts.
Indian junior women's hockey team goes down against Germany
South Korea scored a major upset at the hockey's Champions Trophy in Kuala Lumpur on Monday dumping defending champions and favourites the Netherlands 6-2.
Veteran captain Lee Nam Yong, 39, was also among the scorers as he struck the equalising goal in the 56th minute while Kim Sunghyun (18th) and Jeong Junwoo (20th) scored the other goals for the South Koreans in the regulation time.
India exploited a rusty German defence, punching three goals as the Harmanpreet Singh-led side outclassed the world champions to make a winning start to the London leg of the FIH Pro Hockey League in London on Saturday.
The Indian women's hockey team played out a hard-fought 1-1 draw against England in its opening match of the FIH World Cup in Amstelveen, The Netherlands, on Sunday.
Defending champions the Netherlands received another setback in the Champions Trophy men's hockey tournament in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday when they were held to a 3-3 draw by leaders Germany.
Tata group has been a constant in India's sporting landscape and the conglomerate's involvement only grew under Ratan Tata.
International hockey can resume only after COVID-19 vaccine is developed: FIH
India conceded a goal in the dying minutes and lost to European champions The Netherlands 1-2 in the final of the Punjab Gold Cup hockey tournament in Chandigarh on Monday evening. The tournament's top-scorer Jeroen Hertzberger converted a penalty-corner in the 66th minute to break Indian hearts, at the packed Sector 42 hockey stadium. Earlier, New Zealand beat Germany 3-2 to take third place.
'If he is being spoken in the same breath as Dhyan Chand, then you can image how good he was.'
On Friday, barring a few, most of the team members returned to their native places after being granted the break.
With three wins and a draw, India are currently leading the six-team league table with 10 points and a goal difference of eight.
Indian women's hockey team coach Sjoerd Marijne was livid after the 1-4 defeat to Great Britain at the Olympics, saying 'individual performances just weren't good enough'.
India would look to carry on the momentum and seal a win against Great Britain in the quarterfinals of the men's hockey competition of the Paris Olympics in Paris on Sunday.
The FIH Hockey Pro League matches between India and Great Britain, scheduled for May 8-9 in London, were on Wednesday postponed following the UK government's decision to add India to the travel 'red list'.
'Right now hockey is totally changed and anyone can beat anyone depending on the day. It depends on how many chances you create.'
Star drag-flicket Gurjit Kaur made it 4-0 by converting a penalty corner in the 10th minute.
The Indian men's hockey wound up its league stage engagements at the Olympics with a 4-2 victory over Japan and consolidated second place in Group A, behind Australia, on Friday.
India beat Ukraine 3-0 in U-23 five-nation tournament
