Hockey World Cup:
India expects a better performance from its strikers in a must-win match against New Zealand without Hardik.
Who will host the 2023 World Cup of Hockey?
The 2023 Hockey World Cup began on January 13, with the final scheduled for January 29. The tournament is being hosted by India and will take place at two various venues: the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar and the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela
Men's FIH Hockey World Cup in 2023:
India VS New Zealand:
Match Specifications:
Match No: 26
Destination: Bhubaneswar, India
Date & Time: Sun, 22 January 2023 | 19:00
Event Name: FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar - Rourkela
Hockey World Cup: Hardik less India faces New Zealand in a must-win game Crossover game:
Bhubaneswar: India will face New Zealand in a must-win Crossover stage match in the FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup here on Sunday, with a place in the quarterfinals at stake after finishing second in their group. India started their campaign with a 2-0 win over Spain, drew with fifth-ranked England, and won 4-2 over minnows Wales to finish unbeaten in Pool D, tied with England on seven points but with a lower goal difference. New Zealand, on the other hand, finished third in Pool C following a heartbreaking 2-3 loss to Malaysia. The Black Sticks had previously lost 0-4 to the Netherlands, scoring only five goals and allowing eight, with their lone win coming against Chile. India, too, has struggled to score goals, with six goals in three matches. They also gave up two goals in two minutes of sustained pressure against Wales, causing the Indian prosecution to crumble. Despite winning undefeated in Pool D, the Indian team's performance has not been as good as they would have liked. For years, India's Achilles heel has been their defensive strategy, but they have made up for it with aggressive, attacking hockey. The Indians emerged to have forgotten their scoring touch in Bengaluru, where they held their first World Cup camp. The Indians have decided to enter the shooting circle 76 times, but have only 37 shots on goal and have scored only six goals. They earned 16 penalty corners, but only scored three goals. Defensively, the Indians have looked impressive, with 56 blocks in three games and only 26 tackles, placing them near the bottom of the list. In the three games, they detected 40 balls and completed 829 passes. They must iron out a few of these issues before facing New Zealand in the Crossover match. However, they will have to do so without key midfielder Hardik, who was forced to pull out from the tournament due to a hamstring injury sustained near the end of the match against England. He was the midfield's fulcrum and the team's best player as India put up a superb defensive play, shutting out the English. He was all over the midfield, bridging the gap between the forwards and the defenders. The Indian forwards were also guilty of overcrowding in the final third, frequently colliding with one another, as chief coach Graham Reid pointed out after the match against Wales.
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