Indian team would like to avoid the worst performance in the World Cup by defeating Japan
Rourkela. Criticized for not even reaching the quarter-finals, the Indian team will have to win the 9th to 16th places classification match against Japan on Thursday to avoid the worst finish in the Men’s Hockey World Cup. A loss to 2018 Asian Games gold medalist Japan could push India towards the 13th to 16th place classification match. India’s worst performance in the last 14 World Cups so far was in London in 1986 when the team finished 12th and last. 16 teams are participating in this world cup.
Despite losing to Japan, India may not finish last but will slip further than 12th, which will be its worst performance. India were out of the quarter-final race after losing to New Zealand in sudden death in the crossover match. India squandered a two-goal lead and the score at regulation time was 3. was equal to 3. In the World Cup 1986, under the leadership of Mohammad Shahid, the Indian team lost to Poland, Spain and Australia. It defeated Canada and finished fifth out of six teams in the preliminary round after drawing with Germany. It then lost to New Zealand in the classification match and then finished last after losing to Pakistan.
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India will have to be at their best to beat Japan. The Japanese team, which won the gold medal by defeating Malaysia in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, however, finished last in Pool A after losing all their three matches. India finished second in Pool D after defeating Spain and Wales and drawing with England. Japan beat India in the Asian Champions Trophy semi-finals in December 2021 by 5. Was defeated by 3. In the Asia Cup in May-June last year, a second-rate Indian team beat Japan twice and won one match. India has won 26 out of 32 matches against Japan since 1932 while Japan won three and ended in three draws.
