Indian Hockey Teams Wrap Up Bhubaneswar Leg of FIH Pro League with Strong Performances

Bhubaneswar: The Indian Men’s and Women’s Hockey teams concluded their FIH Hockey Pro League home campaign at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, showcasing commendable performances in their respective eight-match stints between February 15 and 25.

The Men’s team delivered an impressive showing, securing five victories from eight matches and climbing to third place in the standings with 15 points, just one point behind joint-leaders England and Spain. Despite a 1-3 setback in their opener against Spain, India rebounded with a solid 2-0 win over the same opponents.

Their momentum continued with a hard-fought 1-0 win over World No.4 Germany, following an initial loss to the European powerhouse. The team then dominated Ireland with back-to-back wins before facing a narrow 2-3 defeat against England. However, led by captain Harmanpreet Singh’s brace, India ended their campaign on a high, securing a 2-1 victory in the rematch.

Standout performances from Mandeep Singh and Sukhjeet Singh, who netted three goals each, along with 21-year-old Rajinder Singh’s promising display, were key highlights of the Men’s team’s campaign.

Meanwhile, the Indian Women’s team had a mixed run, with two wins and two draws placing them sixth in the standings with nine points. They started strong, securing a 3-2 victory and a draw against England before facing three consecutive defeats—two against Spain and one against Germany. However, they bounced back with a determined 1-0 win over Germany.

In their final two matches, India faced World No.1 Netherlands. Despite a 2-4 loss in the first encounter, the team impressed with their attacking play, winning 13 penalty corners. On the final day, India staged a remarkable comeback, holding the Dutch to a 2-2 draw before clinching the bonus point in the shootout, finishing their home leg on a positive note.

Reflecting on the team’s performance, captain Harmanpreet Singh expressed pride in the squad’s resilience and determination. “Winning five matches out of eight gives us a solid foundation for the tournament. The young players have stepped up brilliantly, and we will continue to build on this momentum,” he said, also acknowledging the overwhelming support from fans.

Women’s team captain Salima Tete echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the team’s confidence boost after their performance against the Netherlands. “We now believe we can beat any team in the world. The experience of playing top-ranked sides has been invaluable, and we will work on improving penalty corner conversions and shootouts in the upcoming camp,” she added.

With promising results in their Bhubaneswar leg, both Indian teams now set their sights on the upcoming fixtures in their FIH Pro League campaign.