Women's Hockey World Cup 2026: ભારતે જર્મનીને હરાવી રચ્યો ઈતિહાસ, 52 …

ભારતીય મહિલા ટીમ બેલ્જિયમ અને નેધરલેન્ડ્સ દ્વારા સંયુક્ત રીતે યોજાયેલા હોકી વર્લ્ડ કપ 2026ના સેમિફાઇનલ રાઉન્ડમાંથી બહાર થઈ ગઈ હતી.ટીમ ઈન્ડિયાનો સામનો 27 ઓગસ્ટના રોજ પાંચમા સ્થાન માટે રમાયેલી મેચમાં જર્મન મહિલા ટીમ સામે થયો હતો, જેમાં 52 વર્ષમાં તેનું શ્રેષ્ઠ પ્રદર્શન હતું. ભારતીય મહિલા હોકી ટીમે જર્મની સામે પાંચમા સ્થાન માટે રમાયેલી મેચ 3-1થી જીતી હતી, જેમાં નવનીત કૌરે મુખ્ય ભૂમિકા ભજવી હતી,જેમાં બે ગોલ કર્યા હતા,જ્યારે ઇશિકાએ પણ એક ગોલ કર્યો હતો.

ટીમ ઈન્ડિયાનું 52 વર્ષમાં શ્રેષ્ઠ પ્રદર્શન

લાંબી રાહ જોયા પછી હોકી વર્લ્ડ કપમાં પોતાનું સ્થાન મેળવનારી ભારતીય મહિલા હોકી ટીમે 52 વર્ષમાં શ્રેષ્ઠ પ્રદર્શન નોંધાવ્યું હતું. ટીમ ઈન્ડિયાએ ટુર્નામેન્ટમાં કુલ પાંચ મેચ રમી હતી, જેમાં સંયુક્ત યજમાન નેધરલેન્ડ્સ સામે માત્ર 2-0થી હારનો સામનો કરવો પડ્યો હતો. વધુમાં, તેઓએ ત્રણ મેચ જીતી હતી અને એક ડ્રો થઈ હતી. ભારતીય મહિલા ટીમ અગાઉ 1974 માં અજિંદર કૌરની કેપ્ટનશીપ હેઠળ પ્રથમ વર્લ્ડ કપમાં ચોથા સ્થાને રહી હતી. આ ભારતીય મહિલા ટીમનું છેલ્લા 52 વર્ષમાં હોકી વર્લ્ડ કપમાં શ્રેષ્ઠ પ્રદર્શન છે. xsportfeed.life

હોકી વર્લ્ડ કપમાં સફર ભારતીય મહિલા ટીમની સફર

હોકી વર્લ્ડ કપ 2026 માં ભારતીય ટીમની સફર અંગે, ગ્રુપ D માં તેમનો પહેલો મુકાબલો ચીન સામે હતો, જે 2-2 થી ડ્રો રહ્યો. ત્યારબાદ, ભારતીય મહિલા ટીમે દક્ષિણ આફ્રિકાની મહિલા ટીમ સામે પોતાનો આગલો મુકાબલો રમ્યો અને 6-1 ના મોટા માર્જિનથી જીત મેળવી. ટીમ ઇન્ડિયાએ પૂલ D માં પોતાનો છેલ્લો મુકાબલો ઇંગ્લેન્ડની મહિલા ટીમ સામે રમ્યો, જે ગોલ રહિત ડ્રો રહ્યો. આગામી રાઉન્ડમાં, ટીમ ઇન્ડિયાનો સામનો નેધરલેન્ડ્સ સામે થયો, જેમાં 2-0 થી હાર થઈ અને ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયા સામે ગોલ રહિત ડ્રો રહ્યો, જેના કારણે તેઓ સેમિફાઇનલમાં સ્થાન મેળવી શક્યા નહીં. ટીમ ઇન્ડિયાએ જર્મની સામે પાંચમા સ્થાનની મેચમાં શાનદાર પ્રદર્શન કર્યું, અને 3-1 થી વિજય સાથે ટુર્નામેન્ટનો અંત કર્યો. નવનીત કૌર ટુર્નામેન્ટમાં ભારત માટે અગ્રણી સ્કોરર હતી, તેણે ચાર ગોલ કર્યા.

આ પણ વાંચો - R Praggnanandhaaએ રચ્યો ઇતિહાસ, ગ્રાન્ડ ચેસ ટૂર જીતનાર પ્રથમ ભારતીય ખેલાડી બન્યો

On the occasion of Sir Dorabji Tata’s 167th birth anniversary, Tata Steel organised “The Champion Behind the Champions — Celebrating Sports”, an event at the JRD Tata Sports Complex and JRD Tata Diamond Park in Jamshedpur on Thursday, August 27.

Sir Dorabji Tata, the visionary philanthropist and industrialist who helped steer India’s Olympic movement, became the first president of the Indian Olympic Association and sent the first Indian contingent to the Paris 1920 Olympics, was celebrated as a larger-than-life figure in the Steel City of Jharkhand.

The morning began with tributes to the great man, as Tata Steel’s top brass offered flowers at Sir Dorabji’s statue at the Diamond Park. The top management shared their thoughts on Sir Dorabji’s contributions to Tata Steel, the formation of Jamshedpur and Indian sport as a whole.

D.B. Sundara Ramam, Vice President, Corporate Services, Tata Steel, in his speech went back in time to how J.N. Tata envisioned a steel revolution in India and how Sir Dorabji Tata carried that dream forward, ultimately leading to the birth of Jamshedpur.

The JRD Tata Sports Complex also hosted an Olympic Memorabilia Exhibition, showcasing a wide range of rare artefacts from India’s Olympic journey, dating back to the 1910s. From 1936 Berlin Olympics hockey match tickets to a signed jersey of the Indian women’s hockey team from Tokyo 2021, the collection was both unique and precious.

The second half of the celebratory event featured two of India’s renowned archers, Dola Banerjee and Purnima Mahato. Both products of the Tata Archery Academy, who went on to make India proud on multiple occasions at the international stage, graced the event for a fireside chat with RevSportz Editor-in-Chief Boria Majumdar.

The conversation was deep and engaging, covering topics ranging from corporate support in sport and athletes’ mental health to India’s long-awaited quest for an Olympic medal in archery.

Banerjee, who is now an Executive Committee member of the Indian Olympic Association, outlined a scenario that Indian archers perhaps face on the biggest stage of them all — the Olympics.

“It is a mental blockage which perhaps is the only difference left between Indian archery and an Olympic medal,” she said. “There are multiple factors which perhaps go on in their mind in those dying minutes. Things such as being the first medallist for India and creating history, or what would happen if they didn’t win.”

“Such things are bound to come to your mind,” she added. “But, we need to learn how to handle those pressure moments.”

There were also conversations about how modern parenting may have changed the mindset of the younger generation. While it may not be the norm, there are instances, particularly in urban India, where parental involvement can sometimes hinder the work of coaches, as described by Purnima Mahato.

Mahato, who has been a national coach since the early 2000s and is a Dronacharya Awardee, said, “We face issues as parents come to the ground and get involved in their children’s play, trying to get into the technicalities of the sport.”

Banerjee seconded the observation, saying, “Rahul (Banerjee) and I run an archery academy in Kolkata, and we’ve had requests from parents to get the entire range covered so that their child isn’t exposed to the sunlight.”

The gathering smirked at the comment, while several other coaches associated with the archery academy nodded in affirmation, having encountered similar situations.

Amid several light-hearted yet critical discussions, the session ended with a brief interaction between the two legendary archers and the audience. A photo opportunity followed, bringing the event to a close.

It was a fitting celebration to commemorate the birth anniversary of a pioneer of India’s Olympic journey, while also serving as a build-up to National Sports Day, which will be observed on August 29.
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The post The Champion Behind the Champions: Celebrating Sir Dorabji Tata’s Sporting Legacy appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.

[popcorn number="13" desc="No. of drawn Tests after India enforced the follow-on. India have won 30 out of 43 such Tests" class="Default"]

[popcorn number="One" desc="Sonal Dinusha is the first player to score centuries in both innings (103 & 133*) while batting at No. 6 or lower in a Test match against India" class="Default"]

[popcorn number="173" desc="No. of runs scored by Sonal Dinusha off the sweep shot against spin in the two Tests against India — the most by any player in a Test series" class="Default"]

[popcorn number="Eight" desc="No. of times Sri Lanka have taken the lead after a follow-on in Tests" class="Default"]

[popcorn number="Four" desc="No. of times SL have saved a Test after being asked to follow-on" class="Default"]

[popcorn number="Seven" desc="No. of Tests left for India in this WTC cycle (2 vs NZ, 5 vs Australia)" class="Default"]

All of 25 years old and playing in only his fifth Test, Sonal Dinusha reaffirmed his credentials as one of the most promising batters in world cricket, helping Sri Lanka grind out an honourable draw in the second Test at the SSC ground.

India began Thursday’s final day with their noses well in front — Sri Lanka were only 16 ahead at 229-6 — and had good reason to believe a 2-0 sweep was on the cards, but they were comprehensively baulked by the assurance, composure, technique and grit of Dinusha, who brought up his third century of the series and the second of the Test to emulate a select band of players.

Coming off scores of 100, 84, and 103 in the three previous knocks, the left-hander batted for exactly seven hours in finishing unbeaten on 133 and helping his team to 429-9 when the teams shook hands to formalise the draw that had looked the only genuine possibility after the first session. In all, Dinusha batted for 1,139 minutes and negotiated 722 deliveries during the two Tests for 420 attractive runs, at least half of which came through the sweep. Even assuming that India had plans in place to cut off his primary scoring stroke, they didn’t execute them to any degree of satisfaction.

Keshara Nuwantha during his 46 off 150 balls

The 1-0 series victory notwithstanding, the stalemate in Colombo has come as a huge blow to India’s aspirations of making it to the final of the World Test Championship.

It wasn’t just Dinusha who was a thorn in India’s side. He was the constant throughout the final day of the series, but he couldn’t have ploughed a lone furrow. Keshara Nuwantha first, and then Lahiru Kumara, offered lion-hearted support as India’s three-pronged spin attack of Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar and debutant Saransh Jain failed to make an impression.

Nuwantha had helped Dinusha add 112 for the seventh wicket in the second innings in a losing cause in Galle. The same quantum of runs triggered a more acceptable result as he batted for 174 minutes, not surrendering his hand until the first over after lunch. India packed off Prabath Jayasuriya cheaply, but Kumara hung around for 90 deliveries to drive Shubman Gill and his team ragged. What was starkly evident as the Lankans battened down the hatches was the lack of chances created by India, though a tenuous defence can be offered that not even a day-five pitch gave their tweakers any joy.

Brief scores
India 503-9d drew with SL 290 & 429-9 (S Dinusha 133*, P Sooriyabandara 92, K Mendis 55, K Nuwantha 46; R Jadeja 3-94, M Suthar 3-121)

Wavre [Belgium], August 28 (ANI): India will look to bring the curtain down on their FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 campaign on a positive note when they take on co-hosts Belgium in the 7th-8th position classification match in Wavre on Friday.

The Indian team finished last in Pool E in the second stage after suffering defeats against the Netherlands (1-3) and Argentina (3-5), ending their hopes of making the semi-finals. The classification match, therefore, offers India an opportunity to put together a strong performance and regain some momentum before turning their attention to the Asian Games in Japan next month.

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Belgium, meanwhile, will also enter the contest looking to finish their home World Cup campaign on a brighter note. The co-hosts were left disappointed after missing out on the semi-finals, finishing at the bottom of Pool F following 1-1 draws against Australia and Spain. Playing in front of their home supporters in Wavre will add further motivation for the Red Lions, making this a challenging assignment for India.

For India, the priority will be to rediscover their rhythm and confidence. While the team showed attacking intent and the ability to create opportunities, maintaining consistency across all four quarters will be crucial against a Belgian side that will be equally determined to end its campaign with a win.

A key area of focus for India will be the connections between defence, midfield and attack. Against Belgium, the team will need to move the ball with greater purpose from the back and ensure that attacking players receive quality supply from the midfield, and then it will be up to the strikers to provide the finishing touch.

India’s penalty-corner battery will again be an important weapon, led by captain Harmanpreet Singh; but the team will also look for more productivity from open play. Establishing sustained pressure inside the Belgian circle and converting circle entries into goal-scoring opportunities will be essential.

Belgium possess the quality to exploit gaps during transitions, and India cannot afford lapses in defensive structure or lose possession cheaply in dangerous areas. The midfield will have a significant role in controlling the tempo and ensuring the team remains connected.

A victory would give India a seventh-place finish and, more importantly, provide a much-needed confidence boost before the next major assignment.

“It is a great opportunity to finish the tournament as high as we can. We have unfinished business in the tournament, and we would like to put in a good performance that we could be proud of," said Chief Coach Craig Fulton as per a Hockey India press release.

“The Belgium team has a very specific way of playing. We have played them quite a bit. They have some key players who make their structure work, so we have to be very organised and very good on the ball," he added.

The Asian Games in Japan will come quickly after the World Cup, and India will want to carry forward the lessons from Belgium while correcting the areas that have cost them during the second stage. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

[popcorn number="153.84" desc="Richa Ghosh’s strike-rate in the T20 Women’s World Cup last month — the second best for India after all-rounder Deepti Sharma (171.42)" class="Default"]

Though Sri Lanka are the defending Women’s T20 Asia Cup champions, Harmanpreet Kaur-led India are strong contenders to win their fourth title, reckons former India all-rounder Reema Malhotra. The sixth edition of the tournament, to be held in Dubai from August 28 to September 13, begins today.

However, Malhotra wants India to adopt a fearless approach, and for this, she believes the team management should promote attacking batter Richa Ghosh to No. 3. Wicketkeeper-batter Ghosh has scored 1,333 runs at a strike rate of 144.57 in 88 T20Is, mostly batting at Nos. 5 to 7.

Reema Malhotra

“If you want to play fearless cricket, you must send a fearless batter up. Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana should be our openers. We should go with Richa Ghosh at No. 3. Harman will bat at No. 4, then we have Deepti Sharma at No. 5, followed by Bharti Fulmali. Our batting order will look good when you have two power-hitters on top, Richa and Shafali, and Bharti at the bottom. Why does Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner come in at No. 3? Because she can change the scenario of a match. Currently, Richa’s mindset is, ‘I want to play 10-15 balls.’ The day her mindset changes to that of a No. 3 batter, her scores of 15, 20 and 25 will convert to 70, 80 and 100. Before going to this Asia Cup, Harman and [head coach] Amol Muzumdar’s role will be to give role clarity to their players. I didn’t see that in the recent T20 World Cup [where India failed to make the last four] in England,” Malhotra, 45, told mid-day on Thursday, during an interaction organised by Sony Sports Network.

India begin their campaign against Thailand on Sunday and play arch-rivals Pakistan on September 5.

Malhotra, who played one Test, 41 ODIs, and 22 T20Is between 2003 and 2013, admitted that the intensity always rises when playing against Pakistan. “I won’t lie. There’s always a bit of anger inside that you have to defeat them. When you play Sri Lanka or China, people say ‘all the best,’ but when you play Pakistan, everyone says, ‘you have to defeat them’. So, the body language changes and when the intensity is high, it’s fun to defeat Pakistan,” said Malhotra, a former middle-order batter and leg-spinner, who played her last ODI and T20I against Pakistan.

Malhotra believes India’s spin attack, led by Deepti Sharma, will be a big plus in the UAE.

“Sri Lanka won the 2024 Asia Cup, but we’re playing better cricket than Sri Lanka. In the T20 World Cup too, our performance was better. We should look to dominate,” she signed off.