Commonwealth Games: Spirited India lose 2-3 to New Zealand in second practice game

The Indian senior men’s hockey team fought valiantly but lost 2-3 to 6^th ranked New Zealand in their second and final practice game ahead of their Commonwealth Games campaign at the National Hockey Center in Glasgow. The 9^th ranked Indians twice came back from behind to draw level but were done in by a Black Sticks match-winner four minutes from the final hooter.

Earlier, India had downed 5^th ranked England 3-2 in their opening practice game. Akashdeep Singh, Vokkaliga Raghunath and Rupinder Pal Singh scored for India in that game.

India will launch their Commonwealth Games campaign against 31^st ranked Wales – the lowest ranked team in the men’s competition – on July 25.

India are pitted in Pool A alongside Wales, Scotland, Australia and South Africa. India The Sardar Singh-led side then face 25^th ranked Scotland the next day. The Blueshirts have a two-day rest before locking horns with reigning champions and world number one Australia on July 29. India will wind up their league engagements against 12th ranked South Africa on July 31.

The Pool B comprises 5^th ranked England, 6^th ranked New Zealand, 13^th ranked Malaysia, 16^th ranked Canada and 29^th ranked Trinidad & Tobago.

It may be mentioned here that the Rajpal Singh-led Indians had finished runners-up in the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games, where they suffered a 0-8 humiliation at the hands of Australia in a ridiculously one-sided summit showdown.

India will be looking to build on their positives from their 9^th place finish in the 2014 World Cup, where they toppled higher ranked Korea 3-0 in a classification tie.

 

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