The Indian men's hockey team is ready to make a bold impression when they face New Zealand in their opening match of the Paris Olympics on Saturday, July 27. As eight-time gold medalists, they will be favorites to win the contest, given their impressive head-to-head record against the Black Sticks.
Both teams are in Group B, along with Australia, defending champions Belgium, Argentina, and Ireland. India's journey to the Paris Olympics has been turbulent. Despite hosting the 2023 Hockey World Cup, India performed below expectations and finished in ninth place. However, after a bronze in Tokyo, the Indian men's hockey team will be aiming to better the performance in Paris
India Aim for Win
However, the Men in Blue made an impressive comeback by securing fourth place in the 2022-23 FIH Hockey Pro League season. Harmanpreet Singh and his team went even further at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Backed by solid preparation and acclimatization, the Indian hockey team maintains a calm approach as they prepare for their opening match against New Zealand. Their main goal is to improve upon their Tokyo bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, taking place at the historic Yves-du-Manoir Stadium on Saturday.
Following a series of matches against top teams in the FIH Pro League and training camps in Bengaluru and Europe, the team led by Harmanpreet Singh is ready to fine-tune their game behind closed doors on the eve of the crucial match.
They are backed by mental trainer Paddy Upton and adventurer Mike Horn, who were part of the support staff under coach Gary Kirsten and contributed to the Indian cricket team's 2011 World Cup victory.
India aims to start strong and build momentum with a win against New Zealand.
The Indian team, which will face Argentina (July 29), Ireland (July 30), Belgium (August 1), and Australia (August 2) in their other Pool B matches, decided to skip the opening ceremony to concentrate on their first game.
When and Where
The India Vs New Zealand men's hockey match at Paris Olympics 2024 will be played on July 27 at Yves-du-Manoir Stadium.
The India Vs New Zealand men's hockey match at Paris Olympics 2024 begins at 5:30pm (local time), 11:30 am ET, 4:30pm BST and 9pm IST.
How to Watch/ Livestream
United States: The India Vs New Zealand men's hockey match at Paris Olympics 2024 will be broadcast on Peacock, NBC Sports, Universo while live streaming will be available on Fubo.
United Kingdom: The India Vs New Zealand men's hockey match at Paris Olympics 2024 will be broadcast on Discovery+, EuroSport Player UK. The Argentina vs Iraq Paris Olympics 2024 match will be available for livestreaming on discovery+ App, EuroSport 2 UK
India: The India Vs New Zealand men's hockey match at Paris Olympics 2024 will be broadcast on Sports 18 Network, and available for livestreaming on JioCinema app and website for free
