Marijne confident as India drawn alongside England, China in hockey World Cup

Despite being placed in a tricky Pool D alongside England, China and South Africa for the FIH Hockey women’s World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands, India chief coach Sjoerd Marijne expressed confidence that his side is prepared for the tough challenge ahead and capable of executing their style of play consistently.

The draw, announced on Tuesday evening, sets up a competitive group for the Indian women’s team as they gear up for the marquee tournament scheduled in August. China entered the pool as the highest-ranked side at World No. 4, while England, recent opponents in the final of the FIH World Cup Qualifiers in Hyderabad, are placed sixth. India and South Africa are ranked ninth and 19th respectively, making for a diverse group with contrasting styles of play.

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“This is a very competitive and balanced pool. There are teams like England and China that bring different styles and a lot of experience, while South Africa women’s national field hockey team is always unpredictable and dangerous on their day,” Marijne said.

“However, for us, it’s not about the draw, it’s about how we show up. At a World Cup, every match demands your best. We respect all opponents, but our focus is on playing our style of hockey with consistency and courage,” he added.

India head into the tournament after finishing runners-up at the Hyderabad qualifiers, where they fell short against England in the final. Despite the loss, the team impressed with their attacking output, ending as the second-highest goal scorers with 11 goals, including six from penalty corners.

Reflecting on the campaign, Marijne stressed the need for greater efficiency in front of goal and improved defensive structure as the team continues to evolve.

“We’ve done well going forward, but the most important thing for us is to focus on converting our chances into goals, whether it is from field goals or from penalty corners. Besides this we, we also have to continue working on our structures defensively.”

Having previously guided India to a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Marijne returned as head coach in January and is now focused on building a long-term vision for the squad.

“We are building something long-term. We want to build a team that is resilient, adaptable, and fearless. Qualifying was the step, but we are aiming for much more. The first steps have been made in the right direction, but there is much more to go if we want to be successful.”

Looking ahead to the World Cup, Marijne outlined an extensive preparation plan featuring overseas tours and competitive fixtures to fine-tune the team.

“We have a tour to the USA and Argentina, the Nations Cup in New Zealand, and practice matches in Germany. We will also play some matches in the Netherlands. These scheduled games combined with our camps set us up for a very good mix of matches and training to be ready for the World Cup and Asian Games,” he said.