Amstelveen, 17 August (H.S.): The Indian women’s hockey team will take on South Africa in a Pool D clash on Tuesday with the aim of securing its first victory at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026. The match will be played at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen.

India began its campaign with a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Olympic silver medallists China. Navneet Kaur and Deepika scored for India, while China fought back twice to ensure the contest ended level.

The performance against China has boosted India’s confidence, but the team will now be focused on securing all three points. South Africa, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back after suffering a 0-4 defeat to England in its opening match.

England currently lead Pool D, while India and China are level on one point each. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the next stage and remain in contention for the semi-finals. A victory over South Africa is therefore crucial for India. However, head coach Sjoerd Marijne said the team was not focusing on calculations or the points table, but rather on its own performance.

Speaking to Hockey India, Marijne said, “We are not doing calculations or focusing on who is winning against whom. The most important thing for us is to focus on ourselves and our strengths. Against China, we created opportunities, which was a positive. Defensively, we were also quite strong. We need to work on the double turnover, which means retaining possession after winning the ball. That is an area where we can improve.”

Warning his players against taking South Africa lightly, Marijne said, “Now we are facing South Africa, and I have told the girls not to take them lightly. South Africa is also a good team, so we have to be fully prepared for this match.”

India will need to improve its ability to convert the opportunities it created against China into goals. The early goals from Navneet and Deepika were encouraging signs for the team. At the same time, the Indian defence will have to maintain the composure and resilience it displayed against China.

South Africa will enter the contest determined to make a strong comeback after its opening-match defeat. India can therefore expect another demanding encounter. The Indian team will look to convert the confidence gained against China into a victory, secure three crucial points and strengthen its position in Pool D.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar