India women's Nations Cup hockey campaign will start from Chile, the team will be eyeing Pro League qualification

Starting their campaign against Chile in the Nations Cup, the Indian women's hockey team will be eyeing qualification for the Hockey Pro League in Valencia on Sunday.

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"It will be crucial for us to start on a winning note. This is an important tournament for us and starting well will help us gain the right momentum. Every match in this tournament will be hard-fought as every single team would want to make it to the FIH Hockey Pro League. We can't take any team lightly and as I said, the focus will be on ourselves and the process we have been practicing." Savita Punia, who is leading the Indian team, said.

Meanwhile, in the Nations Cup hockey tournament, India has been placed in Pool B along with Chile, Japan, and South Africa. While Pool A comprises teams from Ireland, Italy, Korea, and Spain. Moreover, the eight-team tournament will follow a system of 'promotion and relegation'. In which the champion team will qualify for the 2023-24 FIH Hockey Women's Pro League. This is important with a view to next year's Asian Games and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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"Our focus will be on ourselves and ensuring we play to our potential. In the match against Ireland, we had goals from Beauty Dungdung, Neha, Gurjit, Sangita, and Navneet. It's always a good sign to have different goal scorers and shows the variety we bring in our attack." Savita added.

The Indian team played three warm-up matches against Spain and one against Ireland before the Nations Cup. India will play their second Pool B match on December 12 against their Asian rivals Japan. They had lost in the final of the 2018 Asian Games against Japan. After that, the team will face South Africa on 14 December. While the knockout matches will organize on 16 and 17 December.