India will next play South Korea on Tuesday. In other matches of the day, Japan and Korea played out a 2-2 draw, while Olympic silver medallist China thrashed Thailand 15-0.
Meanwhile, all matches of the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy will now be held in the early afternoon to avoid potential disruptions caused by a large insect infestation, which becomes prominent under floodlights, the Asian Hockey Federation and hosts Hockey India announced on Saturday.
An inspiring day at the Rajgir stadium as Shri Nitish Kumar Ji, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Bihar, graced the Bihar Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024. Accompanying him were Shri Deepak Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary to the CM, and Shri Rajesh, OSD to the CM, all showing their… pic.twitter.com/Mq1DA3OiRq
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) November 11, 2024
According to the revised schedule, the first match of each day will now start at 12.15 pm, the second at 2.30 pm, and the last one at 4.45 pm. Previously, matches were scheduled for the evening, with start times of 3 pm, 5.15 pm, and 7.30 pm respectively.
“Our priority is the safety of players, fans, and everyone involved with this prestigious tournament,” stated Dilip Tirkey, President of Hockey India, in a release “Hockey is being played at a new venue, and we want to ensure that we maintain high standards, while ensuring a smooth and exciting experience not only for teams but also for the people of Bihar who have been eagerly waiting for this tournament.”
The decision was made in consultation with the tournament’s organising committee, following feedback from teams and observations of consecutive training sessions under the floodlights, which revealed a significant increase in insect activity.
Hosts India along with five other teams — China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand — will play round-robin matches, with the top two sides making the semifinals in the November 11-20 tournament.
