Indian women’s hockey team gears up for World League Round 2
NEW DELHI: Ranked highest in the tournament, Indian women’s hockey team begin its campaign against Ghana on the opening day of the FIH World League Round 2 at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Saturday.
High on confidence after their good show at the recent tour of Spain, the Indian women would look to start their campaign on a winning note.
The home side are no doubt the favourites to win their first match but it may not be a cakewalk as Ghana proved their mettle in the World League Round 1 by defeating Tanzania 17-0 and entering the second phase of the league to take on bigger challenges.
The eight-team World League Round 2 holds importance as each team will look at making it to the World League Round 3 which is the final stage of qualification for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Divided into two pools of four teams each, India are placed in Pool A with women from Poland, Ghana and Thailand, while Malaysia, Russia, Kazakhstan and Singapore are placed in Pool B.
The inaugural game of the League will see Malaysia clashing with Kazakhstan and then Russia taking on Singapore and Thailand facing Poland before India play Ghana in the last match of the day.