INDIA WOMEN TO DEBUT IN FIH PRO LEAGUE AFTER AUSTRALIA AND NZ PULL OUT

NEW DELHI: In a boost for the Indian women’s team, the international hockey federation (FIH) announced that the world No.8 outfit will debut in the third season of the FIH Pro League.

Nine of the world’s top teams compete in the season long tournament on a home-and-away basis with a new season starting on October 13 with world and Olympic champions Netherlands taking on Belgium. However, India will play their first match, away to world No.1 Netherlands in February 2022.

India will be joined by Spain with the two teams replacing— for this season only—Australia and New Zealand, who withdrew due to Covid-19 related travel restrictions put in place by their respective governments. The two teams will re-join Pro League for the fourth season.

Whenever possible, the women’s team will play on the same dates and venues as the India men’s side. India’s men joined the Pro League in the second season. With the Women’s World Cup and Asian Games— which will also act as an Olympic qualifier—lined up in 2022, playing against the world’s best teams will provide India with a strong platform to launch their bid for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“We never got to play top teams like Netherlands as often as we would have liked to. Before our first match at the Tokyo Olympics against the world No.1, we had played them just once more than three or four years ago,” said two-time Olympian Monika. “But being part of the Pro League this season will give us the perfect opportunity to test our abilities against top teams. We hope to make the opportunity count.”