Hockey WC: India placed in Pool D

BHUBANESWAR: India has been drawn with England, Spain and Wales in Pool D of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup, which is scheduled to be hosted in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela in January next year. The draw ceremony for the 16-team competition took place on Thursday, with every pool having four sides each.

Pool A consists of World No.1 Australia, Argentina, France and South Africa while Pool B comprises reigning champion and top seed Belgium, Germany, Korea and Japan. Pool C will feature last edition’s finalist the Netherlands, New Zealand, Malaysia and Chile.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, FIH acting president Seif Ahmed, state Sports Minister Tusharkanti Behera, and Committee of Administrators (CoA) members SY Quraishi and Zafar Iqbal were present on the occasion.