Already going through an enormous backlash after failing to make the quarter-finals, India might find yourself with their worst-ever putting within the FIH Males’s World Cup in the event that they lose their Ninth-Sixteenth classification match towards Japan on Thursday.
A loss to the 2018 Asian Video games gold medallists might push the hosts to play the Thirteenth-Sixteenth classification match on Saturday towards a yet-to-be-decided opponent.
India’s worst-ever putting and end within the 14 earlier editions of the World Cup is Twelfth and final — at London in 1986.
| FIH World Cup 2023: Indian Workforce Slammed by Former Gamers After ‘Debacle’
Within the ongoing version of the World Cup, 16 groups are competing as towards 12 in 1986. Whereas India might not end final even when they lose to Japan on Thursday, however the loss will take the hosts to their worst putting ever, which will probably be between 13 and 16.
India had crashed out of ongoing World Cup after shedding the crossover match to New Zealand, ranked six locations under them, in sudden loss of life at Bhubaneswar on January 22.
The hosts had squandered a two-goal lead on two events because the match led to a 3-3 stalemate in regulation time. The Harmanpreet Singh-led aspect misplaced the shootout 4-5.
In the course of the 1986 World Cup in London, the workforce led by Mohammed Shahid had misplaced to Poland, Spain and Australia. They beat Canada and drew with Germany to complete fifth within the six-team preliminary league spherical.
India then misplaced to New Zealand within the Ninth-Twelfth classification match and have been crushed by Pakistan, returning house with the wood spoon.
India must play their greatest hockey towards Japan within the classification match, although the reigning Asian Video games champions too have had an odd World Cup right here.
Japan, who defeated Malaysia in 2018 for his or her first Asian Video games gold in Jakarta, completed final within the four-team Pool A right here after shedding all three video games — towards Belgium, Germany and South Korea — conceding 12 and scoring two.
India fared much better, ending second in Pool D with two wins — towards Spain and Wales — and one draw (towards England) earlier than crashing out within the crossover recreation.
Japan have emerged as a robust continental powerhouse in hockey, beating a full-strength India 5-3 within the Asian Champions Trophy semifinal in December 2021 after shedding 0-6 within the preliminary spherical.
Whereas a second-string India defeated Japan twice and misplaced as soon as within the Asia Cup in Might-June final yr, the matches have been fiercely contested.
Traditionally, India have dominated Japan with 26 wins in 32 matches since 1932. Japan have gained simply thrice, with three matches ending in attracts.
However, under-fire India coach Graham Reid and his workforce will take Japan calmly at their very own peril.
The hosts can take some confidence from the truth that they’ve carried out properly on the newly-constructed Birsa Munda Stadium, beating Spain 2-0 and holding England to a goalless draw earlier within the event.
Squads:
India: Harmanpreet Singh (captain), Abhishek, Surender Kumar, Manpreet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Upadhyay, Krishan Pathak, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, PR Sreejesh, Nilakanta Sharma, Shamsher Singh, Varun Kumar, Akashdeep Singh, Amit Rohidas (vice-captain), Vivek Sagar Prasad, Sukhjeet Singh, Rajkumar Pal.
Japan: Koji Yamasaki, Shota Yamada, Yusuke Kawamura, Yamato Kawahara, Seren Tanaka (captain), Kentaro Fukuda, Taiki Takade, Takuma Niwa, Raiki Fujishima, Ken Nagayoshi, Hiro Saito, Ryosei Kato, Ryoma Ooka, Masaki Ohashi, Kaito Tanaka, Kisho Kuroda, Masato Kobayashi, Takashi Yoshikawa.
Learn all of the Newest Sports activities Information right here
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed)