With just two days to go before the start of the FIH Hockey World Cup, Olympic Bronze medallist India will be looking to end a drought of 48 years to win the prestigious tournament. But how have India performed when they have hosted the event as the 15th edition of the Hockey World Cup looks all good to go in Odisha on Friday (January 13)?
India hosting the Hockey World Cup for fourth time
The 2023 edition of the Hockey World Cup will be the fourth occasion when India have hosted the marquee event. Interestingly, it is in back-to-back editions that the FIH Hockey World Cup is being hosted by India and Odisha, having done so in 2018 as well. India first hosted the showpiece event in 1982 in Mumbai (then Bombay), while New Delhi played host to the event in 2010. The tournament returned to India in 2018 and 2022 with high-quality facilities in Odisha.
India’s performance in the 1982 Hockey World Cup, Bombay
Coming into the tournament as hosts and the defending Olympic champions, India were expected to go big and win the World Cup. The Indian team was seeking its first tournament win since 1975 but failed to deliver and finished fifth. However, it is worth noting that it is still India’s best finish at a World Cup since the winning triumph in 1975.
Eighth place finish in Delhi
The comparisons were high for the Indian team going into the World Cup of 2010 as they grabbed the attention of the media and social media. India started well by beating arch-rivals Pakistan 4-1, but that proved to be the only success story as India lost three and drew one group match and thereby qualifying for the seventh place play-off. In the last match, India were well beaten by Argentina by 2-4 as they finished eighth.
Quarterfinal exit for Men in Blue in Odisha
The Men in Blue made it to the knockout stage of the World Cup in 2018 after some dominating displays in the group stage. India beat South Africa 5-0 while drawing 2-2 against Belgium to round off the group stage with a 5-1 win against Canada. However, India lost a close encounter against the Netherlands in the quarterfinal by a scoreline of 1-2 and were handed a sixth place finish courtesy of their group rankings.
