Can India repeat its historic 1975 success in the Hockey World Cup 2023?
Key takeaways:
- Midfielder Hardik Singh was injured during Sunday’s game.
- The last time India prevailed in the hockey World Cup, things were completely different.
It was about half a century back, and Indira Gandhi was prime minister when India won the cup in March 1975 in Kuala Lumpur – eight years on of India’s first-ever World Cup victory in cricket.
It’s been a long time since that victory, 48 years to be exact.
Sitting fifth in the world, India is hosting the hockey World Cup for the second consecutive edition. Games are being played at Bhubaneswar and Rourkela cities in the eastern state of Odisha (previously Orissa).
Can India do it again after 48 years:
India has played two games so far – one versus Spain, which they won, and the second versus England on Sunday evening, which ended in a breathless, goalless tie.
What stays to be decided through their last pool-stage game is whether India will succeed in going through a direct quarterfinal place or will they require to play a different game.
After two matches, India and England are on four points, respectively, with England leading the pool on GD (goal difference.)
Can India go through the knockouts:
India has a less troublesome rival in Wales, who it will play on 19 January. India will want to succeed by a handy margin to get along on goal difference (the difference between the number of goals and the number of goals conceded by the side) and find a direct place in the quarters.
What should be a relief to Indians is that England has a more rigid opposition in Spain next, which leaves them with little room to race too far ahead on goal tally.
