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Following their stellat performance in the Jharkhand Women's Asian Champions Trophy Ranchi 2023, the Indian Women's Hockey Team are now ranked as the sixth best women's hockey team in the world, with 2368.83 points.
In recent times, the team was placed eighth but clinching the bronze medal at the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 and their victory at the Jharkhand Women's Asian Champions Trophy Ranchi 2023 has catapulted the Indian Women's Hockey Team back to their best-ever placement, last achieved during the FIH Pro League in June 2022, as per a Hockey India press release. The Netherlands continues to be ranked as the best women's hockey team in the world with 3422.40 points, followed by Australia in second place with 2817.73 points and Argentina at third with 2766.90 points. The other two teams ranked above India are Belgium at fourth with 2608.77 points and Germany at fifth with 2573.72 points. The jump in the world ranking is a big shot in the arm for the team in their preparations for the forthcoming FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers, scheduled to be held from January 13 to 19 in Ranchi, India. The Indian Women's Hockey Team will battle Germany, New Zealand, Japan, Chile, the United States, Italy, and the Czech Republic in a bid to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Praising the Indian Women's Hockey Team, Hockey India President Dr Dilip Tirkey said, "I would like to congratulate the team on achieving this ranking, it is a testament to the hard work and sacrifices they have made in their careers so far. The aim is to break into the top three with time and this serves as a good indicator that the team is on the rise. With Peter Haberl also joining the setup as a mental conditioning coach I am confident that the team will go from strength to strength and outdo themselves in the near future." Echoing the President's sentiments, Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh added, "The Indian Women's Hockey Team has done well to become the sixth-best team in the world, they deserve all the plaudits coming their way. And with the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers also coming up it is a great opportunity to show the world that India are a force to be reckoned with." (ANI)
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