Indian Women’s Hockey Team grows from strength to strength: 2023

In 2023, the Indian Women’s Hockey Team has experienced tremendous success. They won the Jharkhand Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Ranchi 2023 despite losing out on direct qualification for the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. They have also attained their highest FIH World Rankings to date, which is evidence of their diligence and hard work. The Indian team began the year with practice matches against South Africa and the Netherlands in January, with their entire focus fixed on taking home the gold medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2022. This was followed by a three-match tour to Australia in May of 2023. After that, they took part in the Terrassa 4 Nations Invitational Tournament, where they defeated the hosts, Spain and England, without losing.

The Indian Women’s Hockey Team won the Hockey5s Asia Cup, which was held in Salalah in August 2023, after an exciting first half of 2023. They had a lot of momentum going into the Asian Games. They had gone undefeated through the tournament’s pool stage, but they lost 0–4 to China in the Semi-Final, missing out on the Gold Medal match and ultimately eliminating them from the running for direct qualification to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. But they did bring a bronze medal from China back with them. Captain Savita, the outstanding custodian for India, reflected on a memorable year saying, “We had our ups and downs, but as a team, we have grown from strength to strength.”

I regret not being able to qualify directly for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, but that’s the nature of sports. We have moved past that setback and are now concentrating on our lessons learned.” After defeating Japan 4-0 in the final to win the Jharkhand Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Ranchi 2023, India went on to record their best-ever FIH World Rankings (No. 6 with 2368.83 points) in November.

We had an amazing time at the Asian Champions Trophy in Ranchi, and we are closing the year strong. In addition to going undefeated in the competition, we have learned a lot this year. We’ve reached our highest-ever position in the world rankings—No. 6—so this will definitely help us as we start the new year, according to Savita.

India will participate in both the highly anticipated FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers in Ranchi 2024 and the FIH Hockey5s World Cup Oman 2024, which is slated to take place in January of 2024. In February of 2023–2024, they will return in the FIH Pro League in Odisha. “The new year is going to get underway with a lot of activity. We are currently working very hard at the National Camp with an eye towards the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024. We have fond memories of Ranchi because we will be playing at the same location where we recently won the Asian Champions trophy. We anticipate a thrilling 2024,” Savita said in closing.