India men’s hockey team 5th in FIH rankings

India is the only team which registered an upward movement among the top 10 teams and is the highest ranked Asian team.

India which now has 1484 points, is above the likes of England, Spain and 2012 Olympic champion Germany, in the FIH rankings.

An impressive silver-medal finish at the Champions Trophy has helped the Indian men’s hockey team jump one spot to fifth in the latest FIH rankings chart released Tuesday.

India had lost to Australia via penalty shootout in the final of the Champions Trophy after the two sides were locked 1-1 in regulation time in the Netherlands.

India, which will be defending its title at the Asian Games, is the only team which registered an upward movement among the top 10 teams. The Indian team, which now has 1484 points, is above the likes of England, Spain and 2012 Olympic champion Germany, in the rankings.

World champion Australia maintained its top spot with 1906 points, ahead of Argentina (1883), Belgium (1709), the Netherlands (1654) and India. Germany, England, Spain, New Zealand and Ireland complete the top 10.

The second best Asian team is Malaysia at number 12th and is followed by Pakistan and Korea.

In the women’s rankings also, the Indian team gained one spot to rise to ninth. The team had lost to eventual runners-up Ireland in the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup via penalty shootout on August 2.

The Indian women’s team is the ranked highest in Asia, ahead of the likes of Korea (10th), China (11th) and Japan (14th).

World champions Netherlands remain on top, ahead of England, Australia, Argentina and Germany. The Irish team, which surprised the world by reaching the final of the World Cup, jumped eight places to be to take the eighth spot.