India To Host FIH Pro League Matches In Bhubaneswar And Rourkela

The Indian men’s hockey team has arrived in Bhubaneswar to start their journey in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24. Last season, the team did well but finished fourth, just missing a chance to win a medal. They were behind teams from the Netherlands, Great Britain, and Belgium.

This year’s FIH Pro League for men will first happen in Bhubaneswar at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium from February 10 to 16. Then, it will move to the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela from February 19 to 25. 

Teams from Ireland, the Netherlands, India, Spain, and Australia will play in India. Each team will play one game in Bhubaneswar and one in Rourkela.

India’s first match is against Spain on February 10. The next day, they face the Netherlands, currently the world’s top-ranked team. 

After a short break, India will compete against Australia on February 15 and end the Bhubaneswar games against Ireland on February 16.

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Harmanpreet Singh, the captain of the Indian team, shared his thoughts. He said the team recently had a successful tour in South Africa where they played against teams like France, South Africa, and the Netherlands. 

This has helped them prepare well for the Pro League. He also mentioned that some new, young players are part of the team now. 

This tournament is a good chance for these young players to learn from playing against some of the world’s best teams.

Harmanpreet emphasized the importance of the Pro League. Winning it means the team would directly qualify for the FIH Hockey World Cup in 2026. These matches are also crucial as they prepare for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The Indian men’s hockey team aims to do better than last season. They want to qualify directly for the World Cup and also get ready for the Olympics. Their first step in this journey begins with the matches in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, starting on February 10.