The Indian women’s hockey team arrived in Gaya, Bihar for the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy on Monday.
The continental championships will take place from 11 to 20 November in Rajgir featuring defending champions India and Paris Olympics silver medallists China.
Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand will complete the pool of teams competing in the tournament against the mesmerizing backdrop of the historic town of Rajgir.
Led by captain Salima Tete India will commence their campaign against Malaysia on November 11, followed by a match against Korea on November 12.
After a day of rest, India will face Thailand on November 14. On November 16, India will face off against China. In their final pool game, India will take on Japan on November 17.
‘We will aim to perform well’
“We have been training rigorously at SAI Bengaluru for the Asian Champions Trophy. In previous matches, we faced challenges in the final third of the pitch, so we have focused significantly on improving in that area,” said Salima.
“We will take it match by match and aim to perform well in each one; every team poses a different challenge, and we will not take any opponent lightly. This is the first time we are playing international hockey in Bihar, and we hope to inspire all the girls in the region with our performances. We have prepared well, and we’re confident our hard work will show on the turf,” she added.
India must secure a top-four finish among the six teams to advance to the semifinals, scheduled for November 19, with the final scheduled for November 20.
This tournament marks the Indian women’s hockey team’s first Asian competition under chief coach Harendra Singh, who took charge earlier this year.
“We identified areas for improvement, such as combinations and decision-making in the shooting circle, and have worked on them. I am confident that hockey fans will witness a new side of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team this time, and they won’t be disappointed,” said Harendra Singh.