The Indian women’s hockey team rose to sixth position in the world rankings following its victorious Asian Champions Trophy 2023 campaign in Ranchi, which came on the back of a bronze medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. The team was last ranked sixth, its best-ever placing, during the FIH Pro League in June 2022.
Netherlands continues to be ranked as the best women’s team in the world, followed by Australia at second place and Argentina at third. The other two teams ranked above India are Belgium, at fourth, and Germany at fifth.
The jump in the world rankings comes as a shot in the arm for the Indian team, which will eye an Olympics berth in the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers, scheduled to be held from January 13 to 19 in Ranchi. India will battle Germany, New Zealand, Japan, Chile, United States, Italy, and Czech Republic in a bid to qualify for Paris Olympics.
Lauding the team’s efforts, Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey said, “I would like to congratulate the team on achieving this ranking. It is a testament to the hard work and sacrifices they have made in their careers so far. The aim is to break into the top three with time and this serves as a good indicator that the team is on the rise. With Peter Haberl also joining the setup as a mental conditioning coach, I am confident that the team will go from strength to strength and outdo themselves in the near future.”
Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh added, “The Indian Women’s Hockey Team has done well to become the sixth-best team in the world, they deserve all the plaudits coming their way. And with the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers also coming up, it is a great opportunity to show the world that India are a force to be reckoned with.”
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