India In Hockey: Team India is champion only once in World Cup, defeated Pak in 1975

Hockey is India’s national game. The history of hockey in India has been quite golden. Be it the Olympics or the World Cup, the Indian hockey team has performed brilliantly everywhere. India was the first non-European team to be a part of the International Hockey Federation. After 1928, the golden era of Indian hockey started which lasted till 1960. India performed brilliantly in the Olympics. Apart from this, India’s performance in the Hockey World Cup has been excellent. We are going to tell you how India’s performance has been in the Hockey World Cup.

For the first time, the Hockey World Cup was held in Barcelona, ​​Spain in 1971. In this, the Indian team stood at number three and reached the semi-finals. India had to be satisfied with the bronze medal in this World Cup. India had won over Kenya in the bronze medal match.

 

Talking about the second World Cup, it was organized in 1973 in the Netherlands. India finished second in this World Cup and played the final match. In the 1973 World Cup, India defeated Pakistan in the semi-finals. However, in the final, Team India had to face defeat at the hands of Netherlands in the penalty shootout.

1975 World Cup is great for India. India became the winner in this world cup. The 1975 World Cup was played in Malaysia. In the 1975 World Cup, India defeated Malaysia in the semi-finals to make it to the finals. India won the title by defeating their arch-rivals Pakistan in the final. At that time the captain of the Indian team was Ajit Pal Singh.

However, somewhere after 1975, there was a decline in the Indian hockey team.

The 1978 World Cup was held in Argentina. The Indian team could only reach the group stage and ended their campaign at the sixth position.

The 1982 World Cup was played in Mumbai, India. Team India was expected to perform well on the home ground. But this time also the Indian team could reach the group stage only and ended their campaign by staying at number five.

In the 1986 World Cup, India survived till the group stage and finished their campaign in 12th position, their worst ever performance. This World Cup was happening in London.

The 1990 World Cup was played in Lahore, Pakistan where India finished their campaign at the tenth position in the group stage.

In the 1994 Sydney World Cup, Team India remained in the group stage and ended their campaign at the fifth position.

The 1998 World Cup was played in the Netherlands. India finished their campaign at the ninth position.

In the 2002 World Cup played in Malaysia, the Indian team was only at number ten and was out of the group stage itself.

In the 2006 World Cup, the Indian team finished 11th and got eliminated from the group stage itself.

The 2010 World Cup was played in New Delhi and India finished eighth.

 

The 2014 World Cup took place in the Netherlands and the Indian team finished their campaign at the ninth position.

The 2018 World Cup was good for India. The World Cup was organized in Bhubaneswar. The Indian team reached the quarterfinals and finished sixth.