India’s Men’s Hockey Team Reaches Paris Olympics Semi-Finals
Praise from Ravi Shastri and Mohammed Shami
Paris [France], August 4: The Indian Men’s Hockey Team, led by Harmanpreet Singh, has advanced to the semi-finals of the Paris Olympics after a thrilling quarter-final match against Great Britain. The match ended 1-1 in regulation time, but India triumphed 4-2 in the shoot-out.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri and right-arm seamer Mohammed Shami praised the team’s performance. Shastri tweeted, “Wow. Not a game for the faint-hearted. What character to defend with 10 men for that long. @16Sreejesh You beauty. You are the best in the business.”
Shami also took to social media, saying, “Chak de India! India Stuns Great Britain in Penalty Shootout Thriller. Despite being down to 10 players for 48 minutes, our team showed remarkable resilience and determination, fighting their way to a semifinal spot. What a proud moment for Indian hockey! Waiting for the 52-year drought to end.”
In the second quarter, India took a 1-0 lead after Harmanpreet Singh converted a penalty corner. However, Amit Rohidas received a red card, leaving India one player down. Great Britain’s Lee Morton equalized before half-time. Despite multiple opportunities, Great Britain failed to score in the second half. In the shoot-out, India scored all four attempts, with goalkeeper PR Sreejesh making a crucial save.
Earlier, India defeated Australia 3-2 in their Pool B match. Abhishek and Harmanpreet Singh scored in the first quarter, while Harmanpreet added another goal in the third quarter. Australia’s Thomas Craig and Blake Govers also scored, but India secured the win.
Doubts Revealed
Paris Olympics -: The Paris Olympics is a big sports event where athletes from all over the world compete in different sports. It will be held in Paris, France.
Semi-Finals -: Semi-Finals are the matches that decide which teams will go to the final match. It’s like the second last step to winning the tournament.
Ravi Shastri -: Ravi Shastri is a famous Indian cricket coach and former cricketer. He is well-known in the sports world.
Mohammed Shami -: Mohammed Shami is a well-known Indian cricketer who plays as a fast bowler for the Indian national team.
Harmanpreet Singh -: Harmanpreet Singh is the captain of the Indian Men’s Hockey Team. He is a very skilled player.
Great Britain -: Great Britain is a country in Europe. In sports, it often competes as a team made up of athletes from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Shoot-out -: A shoot-out in hockey is a way to decide the winner if the game is tied. Players take turns trying to score goals one-on-one against the goalkeeper.
Resilience -: Resilience means being strong and not giving up, even when things are tough. The team showed resilience by playing well even with fewer players.
PR Sreejesh -: PR Sreejesh is a famous Indian hockey player who plays as a goalkeeper. He is known for his excellent skills in stopping goals.
Abhishek -: Abhishek is one of the players in the Indian Men’s Hockey Team. He played an important role in the matches.
Pool B -: Pool B is a group of teams that play against each other in the initial rounds of the tournament. India was in this group and played against other teams like Australia.
