Thailand hockey team arrives in India for Women's Asian Champions Trophy

RANCHI: Thailand women's hockey team arrived in Ranchi today for the Jharkhand Women's Asian Champions Trophy 2023 and were welcomed to the sound of drums and fireworks at the Birsa Munda Airport. The Jharkhand Women's Asian Champions Trophy Ranchi 2023 will take place at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh AstroTurf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi from October 27 to November 5. Thailand are set to face formidable opponents like Malaysia, China, Korea, Japan, and hosts India at the prestigious event.

This will be Thailand's second outing in the competition, they finished 4th in their maiden appearance in Donghae Women's Asian Champions Trophy 2021 held in South Korea, where they lost the opening match to the Indian women's hockey team 13-0. Thailand will be up against hosts India on October 27.

"After the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 we had two weeks to prepare our team for the Jharkhand Women's Asian Champions Trophy Ranchi 2023 and we have done the best we can, we had a decent outing in the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 and we hope to better our performances and go back home as the best of the lot," Head coach Young Wook Bae said.

Thailand's Women's Hockey Team participating in the Jharkhand Women's Asian Champions Trophy Ranchi 2023 is fairly young with seven players out of the squad of 18 still in their teens, the youngest of the lot is Parichart Phopool, a 15-year-old with six caps to her name.

"We have to watch out for Malaysia, we have played them five times recently but are yet to win, so we will look to set the record straight against them. China is a strong team as well and we will look to focus on our defence against them and for sure, we will have to be careful against India. We have many young players in the team, with the youngest being a 15-year-old but we believe that they can perform at this level and that is why we have brought them along," the Thailand Captain Anongnat Piresram said, according to Hockey India release.