Indian women’s chief coach Harendra Singh received the news of Indian women’s team qualifying for the London World Cup with characteristic calm. He was neither unhappy or elated. His reasons are obvious.

Indian girls qualified by virtue of being first standbye for the London number. South African girls have won the African Cup on Sunday. It means a vacancy has risen on account of an already qualified team winning the African Cup.

Indian camp is yet to get the official communication in this respect. However, the news is talk of the team here in Kakamigahara.

Coach Harendra Singh said on this count: “We want to earn a World Cup berth. Its not sporting or expectation that a national team qualify simply because some other team did a favour. Its not in my gene. OK now that we have qualified we will prepare for the London World Cup, but at the same time won’t lag in our efforts here to win the Asia Cup”.

“We are here to win the Asia Cup, and will achieve that. World Cup is next year’s target”.

It is worthwhile to mention that information with regard to India’s qualification for the London is yet to come from the FIH, which is expected anytime.