India women hockey team set to play five match series in Malaysia
The Indian women’s hockey team will play a five-match series against Malaysia, at their home, starting April 4. The Savita Punia-led side has been in good form of late, having drawn their series against Spain in an away series, and even defeated Ireland in a two-match series in the same tour.
Ninth-ranked India will some of its regulars due to injury but will start as firm favourites against the 22-ranked Malaysia, when they take them on in a five-match series, scheduled between April 4 and April 11. This series will be crucial as it will help India zero down on the key players for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics later this year.
The Indian team is coming into the series at the back of consistent performances, and will be looking to win big against the Siti Ruhani led side. The team had topped their respective pool in the 2018 Asian Games and had won all the matches except the final, thereby ending up with a silver medal.
India continued their good form into the nine-day Spain tour earlier this year, where they drew two matches (1-1 and 2-2), lost one (2-5) and won (3-2) one against the 2018 World Cup Bronze medallists and hosts Spain. They came back even stronger to draw (1-1) and win (3-0) one match each against higher ranked Ireland in the same tour.
"Always raising the bar is not easy, that demands discipline and taking responsibility. That ownership is again one of the main areas I would like to see our team improve. Our challenge is not our opponent but always ourselves," said the team's head coach Sjoerd Marijne, reported PTI.
A lot has changed since India’s last encounter against Malaysia way back at the Asia Cup in 2017. India
"It is difficult to say how they play as we have not played against them in a while but the last time I saw Malaysia was during the Asian Games in Jakarta and that is a while ago. From what I saw there, they like to play long aerial balls and like to defend with a lot of passion," added the 44-year-old.
