Indian Women's Hockey Team Aims to Break Losing Streak Against China

Crucial Matches Ahead for Indian Women's Hockey Team

Berlin, June 27: The Indian women's hockey team is gearing up for a pivotal double-header against their Asian rivals, China, in the FIH Hockey Pro League (Women) 2024-25, scheduled for June 28 and 29. This match is crucial as the team seeks to end their current losing streak.

Led by captain Salima Tete, the team is looking to draw motivation from the recent success of the Indian men's hockey team, who concluded their Pro League campaign with a commendable victory over Belgium, securing eighth place in the standings, just ahead of Ireland.

As it stands, China occupies the fourth spot in the Pro League points table, while India finds itself at the bottom in ninth place, trailing England by a single point. Both teams still have two matches left to play in the league.

"This weekend's matches are extremely important for us. We will take inspiration from the men's team, who achieved a remarkable win against Belgium," stated captain Salima Tete.

She added, "Participating in this Pro League has been a valuable learning experience, highlighting areas we need to improve as a team. We will reflect on our performance when we return home, but our immediate focus is on performing well against China."

India will carry confidence from their previous encounters with China, having secured a 3-0 victory in the pool stage and a narrow 1-0 win in the final of the Asian Champions Trophy held in Bihar in November 2024. However, they faced a setback in the last Pro League season, losing 1-2 in their double-header against the same team.

"We are familiar with China as they are a regular opponent in continental championships, and we understand their capabilities. They are a formidable team, but we will play to our strengths," she concluded.