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Birmingham 2022: Indian women's hockey team hoping to end 16-year medal drought in Commonwealth Games

The Indian women would also be hoping to break their 16-year medal brought in the Games.

Hockey India

Bengaluru, July 28: Indian women's hockey team would look to bury the ghosts of a disastrous World Cup campaign by steam-rolling minnows Ghana in the Commonwealth Games opener on Thursday (July 29).

Indian women are clubbed in Pool A alongside hosts England, Canada, Wales and Ghana, while Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Scotland and Kenya complete Pool B.

Just like their male counterparts, the Indian women returned empty-handed from the last edition of the Games in Gold Coast, finishing fourth after being routed 0-6 by England in the bronze medal play-off match.

Commonwealth Games 2022, Women’s Hockey: India Squad, Schedule, Points Table & Live Streaming InfoCommonwealth Games 2022, Women’s Hockey: India Squad, Schedule, Points Table & Live Streaming Info

Going into Birmingham 2022, the Indian women must have been haunted by their below-par effort in the recently concluded World Cup in Spain and the Netherlands, where the Savita Punia-led side finished a disappointing ninth.

And the Janneke Schopman-coached side would be desperate to prove that it is a far better side than what the recent results indicate. They would be itching to prove their detractors wrong about the perception that a historic fourth place finish in last year's Tokyo Olympics was a mere fluke.

The Indian women would also be hoping to break their 16-year medal brought in the Games.

Last medal

Last medal

India's last medal -- a silver -- in CWG came in 2006 Melbourne. The only other medal that Indian women bagged in the Games since hockey introduction in 1998 was a gold in the 2002 edition in Manchester.

Besides the brilliant Olympic campaign, the Indians would also be boosted by their creditable third place finish in their maiden Pro League outing this season. But to finish on the podium, the ninth ranked Indians will have to get the better of world No.3 Australia, fifth ranked England and world No. 8 New Zealand, who are also strong medal contenders.

Tough outings

Tough outings

In the last edition of the Games, New Zealand won the gold ahead of Australia and the Trans-Tasman rivals would fancy their chances in this Games too. Australia have dominated women's hockey in CWG, bagging as many as four gold medals, one silver and a bronze.

While it is expected to be a cakewalk for India in their opening two pool games against world No. 30 Ghana, and world No. 24 Wales, Savita's side will face its first real challenge against England on August 2 before finishing their pool campaign against No.15 Canada.

Schopman's task

Schopman's task

With the top two teams from each pool progressing into the semifinals, India and England are clear favourites from Pool A unless something drastic happens. For Indian women, while penalty corner conversions remain a major concern, the forward line too needs to pull up its socks.

In the recent World Cup, the Indians created plenty of scoring chances from open play as well as penalty corners but squandered most of the opportunities. Coach Schopman would be expecting a much-improved show from her forwards and drag-flicker Gurjit Kaur. In the other Pool A match of the day, Canada will take on Wales.

Match time, TV info

Match time, TV info

In the other Pool A match of the day, Canada will take on Wales. The India vs Ghana match starts at 6.30pm IST.

Sony Pictures Sports Network are the broadcasters of CWG 2022 in India and you can watch events on Sony TEN 1 SD/HD, Sony TEN 2 SD/HD, Sony TEN 3 SD/HD, Sony TEN 4 SD/HD and Sony SIX SD/HD. One can also watch the events live on Doordarshan as DD Sports will broadcast the events live daily.

Story first published: Thursday, July 28, 2022, 15:05 [IST]
Other articles published on Jul 28, 2022