NEW DELHI: Any team would want its competitive edge to be at its sharpest ahead of a major tournament. The Indian women's hockey team can't complain on that front. In fact, their road to a World Cup had never been so lit up.
The tears at the end of the Tokyo Olympics accompanied a historic achievement. A fourth place in the final standings may mean missing a medal by a whisker, but a women's hockey team from India had never finished that high at the Games. It followed a welcome chance to debut at the Pro League, where India finished third, ahead of teams like Belgium, Spain, Germany and England -- winning six of their 14 matches.
