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The Indian senior women’s hockey team will lock horns with hosts New Zealand in the quarterfinals of the Hawke’s Bay Cup being played in Hastings on Thursday after a rest day on Wednesday. The Ritu Rani-led side may have finished winless in their league engagements, but have exuded enough fight in all the three games so far to indicate that they will be game for a fight against the fourth ranked Black Sticks in their own backyard. The two teams had last met at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, where India were handed a 0-3 defeat.
India fought hard against China before going down 1-2. The Indian eves then lost 2-4 to eight ranked USA before battling their way to a gallant goalless draw against second ranked Australia.
New Zealand have topped Pool B despite being made to work hard for their wins. They stunned world number three Argentina 3-2 after being held to a 2-2 draw by tenth ranked Japan in their tournament opener. The Black Sticks eves wrapped up their league engagements edging out ninth ranked Korea 2-1.
In the other quarterfinals, Pool A toppers take on Asian counterparts Japan, while Australia meet Argentina and Korea face USA.
The Indian women’s team have recently won the FIH Hockey World League Round 2 event in New Delhi, beating Poland 3-1 in the final. They will feature in the FIH Hockey World League Semfiinals to be held in Brasschaat, Belgium in June this year. India will be pitted alongside Australia, New Zealand, Poland and hosts Belgium in Pool B, while Pool A features Netherlands, Korea, Japan, Italy and Azerbaijan.
