Daijiworld Media Network - Bhopal

Bhopal, Nov 4: The Indian women's hockey team will begin its campaign for a third consecutive Asian Champions Trophy title against Malaysia when the six-nation tournament gets underway in Bhopal on November 19.

The tournament will be held at the new hockey stadium in the International Sports Complex at Nathu Barkheda, featuring India, Japan, China, Malaysia, Thailand and South Korea.

The competition marks India's first international assignment following its historic gold medal triumph at the Asian Games in Japan last month.

India, which has won the title three times in 2016, 2023 and 2024, will be aiming to defend its crown on home turf.

The tournament will follow a round-robin format, with each team playing the other five once. The top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals.

China and Thailand will feature in the opening match on November 19. India will face Malaysia later in the day following the opening ceremony.

India's remaining league fixtures are against South Korea on November 21, Thailand on November 22, China on November 24 and Japan on November 25. November 20, 23 and 26 have been designated as rest days.

The fifth-place classification match and the two semi-finals will be held on November 27. The tournament will conclude on November 28 with the bronze-medal match and the final.

Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey said the tournament would provide an opportunity to celebrate the growing strength of women's hockey in Asia. He expressed confidence that the Indian team would build on its recent Asian Games success and defend its title.

Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh said the competition would be an important opportunity for the players to carry forward the momentum of their historic Asian Games gold medal.