Indian men’s hockey team finished FIH Pro League in fourth place with eight wins and thirty points behind Netherlands, Great Britain, and Belgium as the tournament concluded on Thursday.
This is the second time India has finished fourth in the league after a third-place finish last year.
India finished only five points off first place as the Netherlands won the tournament with ten wins and 35 points. Great Britain finished second with eight wins and 32 points.
While India and Belgium had 30 points, Belgium finished third by more wins as they won ten games as compared to India’s eight.
The Indian team finished as the most scoring team of the tournament with 51 goals, while skipper Harmanpreet Singh topped the chart of goal scorers with 18 goals.
Training under new coach Craig Fulton at SAI Bengaluru for the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy, the Indian team had a decent campaign.
Playing the first leg at home in Rourkela and Bhubhaneshwar, India put on an impressive display, winning five, drawing two, and losing just a single match.
In the European leg of the tournament, the Indian team lost ground after managing just three wins, four defeats, and one draw from the eight away games.
With the Asian Champions Trophy acting as the pre-cursor of Asian Games in September, India will eye gold medal at the Asiads in order qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
By The Bridge
