India will subsequent tackle the Netherlands. (PTI Photo)
The Indian males’s hockey staff, who direct qualification to the Olympic Games by way of an Asian Games gold, sits fourth within the FIH rankings behind the likes of The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
With worldwide hockey motion coming thick and quick because the flip of the yr, with the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers and a number of FIH Hockey Pro League mini-tournaments throughout Argentina and India, there was a shake-up within the FIH Hockey World Rankings.
In the FIH Men’s World Rankings, Netherlands (3060) proceed to sit down on the high of the rankings, coming away from the India leg of the FIH Pro League, comparatively unscathed, with two attracts towards India and a loss to Australia accounting for his or her solely dropped factors in 8 matches. Belgium (2848) maintain on to the second place within the rankings after a powerful exhibiting on the Olympic Qualifiers in Valencia, Spain.
Germany (2786) and India (2761) occupy the subsequent two spots within the rankings. Germany went unbeaten on the Olympic Qualifiers in Oman and adopted that up with two wins and two attracts towards Argentina and a younger Belgian facet through the Santiago del Estero mini match within the FIH Pro League to surpass India, whose direct qualification to the Olympic Games by way of an Asian Games gold, meant they didn’t need to play within the Olympic Qualifiers.
Australia (2757), trying resurgent with a mix of youth and expertise, have been the stand out performers through the FIH Pro League mini-tournament in India, and leapfrogged England (2720) into fifth place. Argentina (2524) and Spain (2296) proceed to carry on to the seventh and eighth positions, as had been the case at first of the yr.
France (2085) stays in a powerful ninth place as they proceed their preparations to play in entrance of their house crowd in Paris. Following intently behind are New Zealand (2025), making their means again into the highest 10 following a spirited exhibiting on the Olympic Qualifiers in Oman, the place they pipped Pakistan within the bronze medal match to qualify for the upcoming Olympic Games.
Korea (1915) missed out on the Olympic Games following their bronze medal loss towards Ireland (1869) on the Olympic Qualifiers in Valencia, however managed to remain forward of the Irish on the earth rankings in eleventh. Ireland who’re nonetheless searching for their first factors of their debut FIH Pro League season, stay twelfth. Malaysia (1828), South Africa (1812), Pakistan (1675) and Japan (1640) spherical out the top-16 within the males’s world rankings.
In the FIH Women’s World Rankings, Netherlands (3422) on the high spot, stay effectively away from the chasing pack, having gained all 12 of their FIH Pro League season 5 matches up to now. Argentina (2827) and Germany (2732) transfer forward of Australia into second and third locations following sturdy performances through the Santiago del Estero mini-tournament of the FIH Pro League, the place they every gained one in all their head-to-head matchups, whereas registering two wins every towards the younger Belgian facet.
Australia (2678) in fourth are adopted by Belgium (2499) who drop a spot on the again of 4 straight losses within the FIH Pro League, albeit with a younger and inexperienced facet, with many gamers getting their worldwide debuts through the mini-tournament. England (2304) stays sixth on the earth rankings, adopted by Spain (2244) in seventh, who’ve closed the hole to England because of a powerful exhibiting on the Olympic Qualifiers in Valencia, the place they completed second to qualify for Paris 2024.
China (2226) have been on a roll over the previous yr, and their performances through the Indian mini-tournament of the FIH Pro League in February, sees them sit second within the Pro League desk, whereas additionally catapulting them forward of India (2215) on the earth rankings, into the eighth place. Less than 100 factors separate England in sixth and India in ninth, exhibiting the intently contested nature of worldwide ladies’s hockey.
Japan (2001) are again within the top-10, following their victory towards India within the bronze medal match on the Olympic Qualifiers in Ranchi, which noticed them qualify for Paris 2024 on the expense of the higher-ranked hosts.
New Zealand (1951) and Korea (1814) additionally missed out on Olympic qualification however held on to eleventh and twelfth on the world rankings, forward of the USA (1790), who climbed to 13, following their sturdy marketing campaign on the Olympic Qualifiers in India, which sees them return to Olympic Games Paris 2024, after lacking out on the earlier version.
Source: www.news18.com
