India meets Holland to decide pool leaders

India, ranked sixth in the world, is presently atop in Pool B with three wins from as many games, while Netherlands is placed second with two wins from two games. But going by performance so far in the tournament, India holds an edge over Netherlands as it has so far recorded convincing wins in the tournament. 

India defeated Scotland 4-1, Canada 3-0 before demolishing arch-rival Pakistan 7-1 in its first three games. Netherlands, on the other hand, beat Pakistan 4-0 before getting the better of Scotland 3-0 in its first two games. On form, India is expected to give Netherlands a run for its money, provided it can keep their composure on the turf. 

With its place already secured in the quarter-finals, India would be hoping to keep up the good work and keep a clean slate going into the business end of the tournament. Barring a few lapses early in its games, the Indians have been clinical so far in the tournament, controlling the proceedings in each and every match. 

The performance of India’s forward-line has been outstanding with the likes of Ramandeep Singh, Akashdeep Singh and Talwinder Singh showcasing their brilliance with the stick by scoring some fantastic goals. The mid-field, led by a talismanic Sardar Singh, and also featuring the likes of skipper Manpreet Singh, has been providing ample support to the strikers. 

In the absence of key players like Rupinderpal Singh, India’s young backline, led by Harmanpreet Singh, has displayed gritty performances and conceded just two goals. India’s reserve goalkeepers -- Vikas Dahiya and Akash Chikta -- too have been brilliant.