Indian Women's Hockey Team in FIH Pro League Relegation Dogfight: Survival Scenarios Revealed

The Indian women's hockey team is navigating a challenging away campaign in the FIH Pro League, mirroring the struggles of their male counterparts. However, unlike the men's team, led by Harmanpreet Singh, who narrowly avoided relegation, Salima Tete's squad is in a direct fight to remain in the competition for the next season. The team must avoid finishing last to stay afloat.

With only two matches remaining, can India successfully evade relegation from the FIH Pro League? Here are the key scenarios:

Current Standings Overview

India currently sits at the bottom of the table, accumulating a mere 10 points from 14 matches. The relegation battle intensifies with England, holding the second-to-last position with 11 points from 14 matches, and Germany, positioned seventh with 13 points from an equal number of matches.

As each of these three teams has two matches left, the stakes are incredibly high to avoid the dreaded last-place spot. The team finishing ninth will be relegated to the FIH Nations Cup, thus missing the opportunity to compete against top-tier hockey teams in the upcoming FIH Pro League season.

The final week promises high drama, with England and Germany clashing in two head-to-head matches, directly impacting the relegation scenario. Meanwhile, India is set to face China in two crucial encounters.

Notably, the Dutch women's team has already clinched the title for a record-extending fifth time.

India's Path to Survival

India's inability to secure outright wins in their recent six matches has significantly complicated their situation. Encounters with Australia, Argentina, and Belgium resulted in five losses and a draw against Argentina, which ended in a shootout defeat. Consequently, India's survival is no longer solely within their control.

The optimal scenario for India involves winning both of their matches against China, boosting their points total to 16. This outcome hinges on England and Germany failing to reach the same point threshold. If India manages one outright win and a draw, they must hope for either Germany or England to suffer one or two outright losses. Losing even a single game will make it exceedingly difficult for India to avoid relegation.

It is crucial to remember that shootout victories award a bonus point (totaling two points), potentially aiding India's quest for safety.

In summary, India must strive to avoid outright defeats in both matches. Securing outright wins is paramount because the number of victories in a season serves as the primary tiebreaker if teams are level on points, followed by goal difference and goals scored. Currently, India has only two outright wins, whereas Germany and England each have three.

Tiebreak Scenarios

Should two or more teams be tied on match wins, goal difference, and goals scored, the aggregate results of matches played among those teams will be considered to determine final rankings.

If these criteria remain insufficient, the number of field goals scored, followed by a lower count of red, yellow, and green cards earned throughout the season, will be factored in.

The Final Verdict

As previously stated, India's fate is no longer entirely in their hands. To compound matters, their current form is concerning. In these crucial must-win matches, they face China, the Olympic silver medalists and current fourth-place holders in the Pro League with 22 points, including six victories.

India has defeated China twice at the Asian Champions Trophy, albeit against a heavily rotated team without their regular head coach, Alyson Annan.

In their recent two games against Belgium in Berlin, India struggled to score, while their defense conceded seven goals. Despite their competitive spirit, they are falling short of securing victories. Head coach Harendra Singh acknowledges the need for improvement across all aspects of the game if the team hopes to avoid relegation. While survival is not impossible, it appears increasingly unlikely.

Match Schedule

Here's the upcoming match schedule for the three teams battling relegation:

June 28

• India vs. China in Berlin at 5:30 PM IST.
• Germany vs. England in Berlin at 8:00 PM IST.

June 29

• Germany vs. England at 5:30 PM IST.
• India vs. China at 8:00 PM IST.