Now Reading: Savita Punia sure India can beat top teams at Hockey World Cup
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Savita Punia sure India can beat top teams at Hockey World Cup
Goalkeeper Savita Punia has said India's women's hockey team can challenge any side at the FIH World Cup beginning August 14 in Belgium and the Netherlands. Speaking to JioStar, she pointed to…
The Story in Brief
Goalkeeper Savita Punia has said India's women's hockey team can challenge any side at the FIH World Cup beginning August 14 in Belgium and the Netherlands. Speaking to JioStar, she pointed to close Pro League matches against Argentina, the Netherlands, and Germany as proof. India won the FIH Nations Cup in June, beating hosts New Zealand 2-0 in the final.
India are in Pool D with China, England, and South Africa. They open against China on August 16 in Amstelveen. The team's best World Cup finish was fourth in 1974. They placed eighth and ninth in the last two editions. Savita called playing her third World Cup a huge achievement and praised captain Salima Tete as a "phenomenal player" whose speed puts pressure on opponents.
The Indian Opinion
The hype around India's Nations Cup win is understandable, but beating world champions Netherlands or Argentina in a World Cup knockout is a far steeper climb. The team has a habit of raising hopes then folding under quarterfinal pressure. The real test is not Savita's confidence but whether the defence can hold against sustained top-tier attacks on the big stage.
Sources (2): indiatvnews.com, hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
