Women Asia Hockey Cup : will women repeat men's performance?
A week after men's team gave countrymen a major Diwali gift by winning the Asia Cup after a gap of 10 years, Indian women launch their campaign in the Asia Cup at Kakamighara in Japan, for a place in the 2018 World Cup for Women in London, later this week.
Indian team led by Rani plays Singapore on October 28 with games against China (October 29) and Malaysia (October 31) to follow. It will be first test for Harendra Singh, the new national coach of women's hockey team.
It is litmus test for him as the team had remained with foreign coaches for the last couple of years, including Rio Olympics and the World Hockey League for women.
The Kakamighara tournament is important for India not only that it is a qualifying tournament for the 2018 World Cup for women in London but also for the Indian women who ave to prove themselves that they are still a power to reckon with.
India's record in Asia Cup has been impressive. In the last edition in 2013, Indian women finished third defeating Japan 2-1 in the bronze medal game. India has won the Asia Cup only once, in 2004, besides finishing with Silver medal in 1999 and 2009.
Of late the performance of the Indian women's team have remained mired in controversies. Though India qualified by default for the Rio Olympic games last year, the team failed to put up any impressive performance in its return to olympic fold after a gap of 36 years. Before Rio India last played in the 1980 Moscow Olympic games where it finished fourth.
India has been placed in pool A with China, Malayasia and Singapore while Korea, Thailand. Kazakhstan and the hosts Japan are in pool B.
-PTC News
