India suffered a shock exit from the 2023 Hockey World Cup, shedding 4-5 in a shootout in opposition to New Zealand within the crossover stage, after the sport completed 3-3 in regulation time. Shamsher Singh missed the decisive penalty in sudden dying, which noticed the goalkeepers make loads of saves. The guests go on to face defending champions Belgium within the quarterfinal, whereas India face Japan within the 9-16 classification sport on the twenty sixth of January.

Both sides started the sport in a comparatively cagey method, with no clear possibilities barring a driving run from Manpreet by means of the center within the opening exchanges. Lalit Upadhyay compelled a little bit of pinball within the opposition circle, however it amounted to nothing. India earned their first penalty nook with solely a few minutes left within the quarter, however Simon Child cleared Harmanpreet Singh’s effort of the road. Child was within the motion on the different finish as nicely, forcing PR Sreejesh right into a high-quality save.

New Zealand began the second quarter with a gilt-edged likelihood to attain, with Kim Kingstone taking pictures large with the objective at his mercy after wonderful work from Child down the correct. They had been made to rue their miss moments later, as Lalit opened the scoring within the seventeenth minute after wonderful work from Akashdeep and Shamsher Singh in a counter-attack, affording their teammate acres of area in the correct aspect of the circle, who took a contact and slammed the ball into the underside nook.

India seemed to have scored their second from one other penalty nook, however Nilakanta’s effort was dominated out after Abhishek’s stick-check. However, the hosts amped up the strain and with their fourth PC of the sport, doubled their lead within the twenty fourth minute. Harmanpreet’s howitzer from the PC was deflected by Dominic Dixon, however Sukhjeet arrived to drive it house with an overhand shot. The guests at all times posed a menace, and at last discovered their means by means of within the twenty eighth minute courtesy Child as soon as once more, who was discovered on the backline by Sean Findlay and he handed to Sam Lane proper in entrance of objective, who tapped it house.

At the halfway-mark New Zealand had extra circle penetrations (10) than India (9), regardless of not having as a lot possession, merely underlining how even the competition was. At half-time, Graham Reid famous India needed to press their opponents extra, and hoped for his aspect to maintain issues tighter on the again, particularly avoiding turnovers.

India took their coaches’ phrases to coronary heart, with New Zealand stored quiet for a lot of the third quarter. A spate of penalty corners for the hosts adopted, however Varun Kumar lastly transformed India’s seventh PC of the match within the fortieth minute with a pushed effort low and straight down the center, by means of Dixon’s legs. New Zealand responded minutes later with their first PC of the match, Kane Russell drag-flicking an unstoppable shot straight down the center previous Sreejesh to make it 3-2, nonetheless in India’s favour.

The hosts noticed their lead evaporate 5 minutes into the ultimate quarter, with Sean Findlay’s fast reflexes coming to the fore, deflecting a shot into the objective from a slim angle, thus levelling the scores. India had been panicking on the again with Simon Child turning the ball over and establishing Sam Hiha, however Krishan Pathak produced a wonderful save to disclaim him. The guests ramped up the strain, with Hiha having one other effort on objective however the whistle had blown within the build-up.

India had been gifted some reduction with Nick Ross choosing up a yellow card, however had been unable to vogue a transparent likelihood within the 5 minutes of their 11v10 benefit. There was almost a ultimate sting within the tail for the hosts, with Sam Lane forcing a point-blank save from Pathak with seconds to go, with the hooter signalling a shootout quickly after.

Both captains, Harmanpreet and Woods transformed their efforts, the latter doing so from a penalty stroke after a stick-check from Sreejesh. Raj Kumar displayed his expertise, bamboozling Leon Hayward with Findlay additionally changing his effort with a canny spin and shot. Abhishek fluffed his effort with a nasty contact, permitting Hayward to smother his shot. Hayden Phillips took benefit squeezing his shot previous Sreejesh, with the ball crossing the road with solely 0.02 seconds left on the clock. Shamsher and Lane each noticed their efforts saved, which required Sukhjeet to attain and he did so with impeccable calm. Sam Hiha spurned the possibility to win it for New Zealand, with Sreejesh saving.

The Indian stalwart stored his crew alive in sudden dying, struggling an harm whereas denying Woods, however Harmanpreet spurned the possibility to win the sport for India, taking pictures early. Pathak may do little to disclaim Findlay, requiring Raj Kumar Pal to coolly slot house. Pathak then compelled Hayden Phillips into screwing his effort large, however Sukhjeet additionally had his effort smothered by Hayward. Sam Lane was lucky to attain previous Pathak subsequent, tapping house the rebound after an preliminary save. Shamsher needed to rating to maintain India’s hopes alive within the World Cup, and his preliminary effort was saved however the referee whistled for a retake because of being impeded. However, his second effort was cleanly saved by Hayward, sparking scenes of untamed celebration by the New Zealanders, as they received the shootout 5-4, with India trying on in shock, exiting the World Cup far sooner than that they had imagined.