Men’s FIH Pro League: India vs Germany matches suspended due to COVID-19
The Indian men’s hockey team was to play world No. 5 Germany in a double-header in Bhubaneswar on March 12 and 13. The women’s matches will go ahead as planned.
India’s Men’s FIH Pro League 2021-22 hockey matches against Germany, scheduled at the Kalinga Stadium in Odisha on March 12 and 13, have been suspended due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the visiting team’s ranks.
The Federation Internationale de Hockey (FIH), Hockey India and Hockey Germany are working together to find alternative dates for the suspended matches.
The Indian women’s hockey team matches against Germany in the Women’s FIH Pro League on the same dates, however, will go ahead as planned. The German women’s team reached India on Tuesday.
Incidentally, the last time the Indian men’s hockey team faced Germany was in the bronze medal match at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Manpreet Singh and Co. beat four-time Olympic champions Germany 5-4 in a thrilling contest to win India their first Olympic hockey medal in 41 years.
India are currently ranked fourth in the FIH hockey rankings while Germany stand fifth.
The Indian men’s hockey team has made a good start to its FIH Pro League campaign and currently sits second on the table, behind the Netherlands, with 12 points from six matches.
India have won four of their matches and lost only two – one against France in South Africa and the other against Spain in Bhubaneswar.
The Men in Blue had finished fourth in a COVID-curtailed FIH Pro League last season, coming in behind Belgium (gold), Australia (silver) and Germany (bronze). Both of India’s matches against Germany last season were cancelled due to the COVID pandemic.