"We Made Silly Mistakes": India Hockey Captain Harmanpreet Singh Gives Big Warning Despite Beating Pakistan
India may have emerged on the right side of a high-octane contest against Pakistan on Wednesday, but captain Harmanpreet Singh believes that they cannot afford defensive lapses going into the business end of the FIH World Cup.
India may have emerged on the right side of a high-octane contest against Pakistan on Wednesday, but captain Harmanpreet Singh believes that they cannot afford defensive lapses going into the business end of the FIH World Cup. India continued its decade-long winning run against their arch-rivals with a 5-3 win, but Harmanpreet was quick to identify the areas that need tightening before the next-round clash against the top teams. “Missing a few chances upfront is okay but we cannot afford any mistake at the back,” Harmanpreet said after the match.
The Indian captain was particularly concerned about the team's inability to retain possession after winning the ball in the attacking half.
“If you are winning the ball in the 25-metre area, we must keep the possession. We are making some silly mistakes which can be avoided. In the two matches we have talked about avoiding the slow start in the third quarter but we did the same mistake today. It is a good learning for us for the next match,” said Harmanpreet, who led from the front scoring two goals from penalty corners.
The captain, however, felt there were plenty of positives in India's overall performance, particularly in their attacking play and ball circulation.
“If you look at our circle entries, ball possession, opportunities we have created and the passing, it was up to the mark. I am very happy with the performance,” he said.
India's ability to handle the pressure of a charged-up contest also pleased head coach Craig Fulton, who said his players remained committed to the game plan despite the occasion.
“It was a big game on a big occasion and everyone is trying their best. I am glad that we stuck to our plan. I am happy with the way the team played,” Fulton said.
Abhishek, who scored twice, said there was never any panic in the Indian camp despite Pakistan making a comeback.
“There was no nervousness. We played as per our plan and succeeded. We knew that we cannot afford to be relaxed at any moment,” he said.
Pakistan's Sufiyan Khan, meanwhile, admitted that his side's mistakes proved costly against a strong Indian outfit.
“We made many mistakes and we have to work hard. India is a very good team and hopefully we will learn from this and come back stronger in the Asian Games next month,” he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
India