India will begin their campaign at the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2023 against Thailand at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi on October 27, the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) and Hockey India (HI) announced on Tuesday.
The upcoming tournament will begin with Malaysia and Japan playing the first game the India vs Thailand will be the third game of the opening day.
The Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Ranchi 2023 will witness the participation of Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, China and hosts India and will conclude on November 5.
“All the teams are part of One Pool and the top four teams will qualify for the Semi-Finals, where the team finishing on top of the table will take on the team that finishes fourth and the teams finishing second and third will play each other to decide the Finalists,” HI said in a statement.
Commenting on the development, President of the AHF, Dato Fumio Ogura, said: “This is a momentous occasion for the Asian hockey community, and we are eagerly looking forward to witnessing top-notch hockey action at the prestigious Women’s Asian Champions Trophy. I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to Hockey India for hosting this event and also for their unwavering support and commitment to the development of hockey in Asia.”
”Furthermore, I would like to express our gratitude to the state of Jharkhand for their warm hospitality and enthusiasm in hosting the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy. After Chennai, we are eagerly anticipating another spectacular event with the gracious support of Hockey India,” Ogura added.
On the occasion, HI President Dilip Tirkey said: “We are proud to host another major Asian tournament and I’m sure the Jharkhand Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Ranchi 2023 will be a great spectacle with some of the top women’s hockey teams in the world participating in the tournament. The announcement of the schedule signals the start of the final stages before the tournament and we cannot wait for this extravaganza to begin.”
Meanwhile, HI Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh said: “Hosting the Jharkhand Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Ranchi 2023 in Ranchi brings me immense joy. We will be competing against some strong teams and I believe this spectacle will inspire and encourage more youngsters from Jharkhand to take up the sport. The Indian Women’s Hockey Team is very capable of putting on a show for the residents of Ranchi and we can’t wait to witness some scintillating hockey.”