Kiwis eyes top-six finish

New Delhi: At the Hockey World League Final, New Zealand have been drawn in a tough pool alongside the likes of Olympic champions Germany among others, and Kiwi head coach Colin Batch was well aware of the tough road that lies ahead for his wards.

Besides, the “playing conditions” was another concern for Batch, who is leaving no stone unturned to prepare his team to overcome all such challenges at the January 10 to 18 tournament.

“The team is practicing hard, and are trying to acclimatise to the weather conditions here. It is cold in the night and warm during the day so playing under such conditions can prove to be tricky,” said Batch after a rigorous training session at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here on Saturday.

The Kiwis have included several new players into their ranks, keeping in mind that the World Cup is just few months away. And Batch, a former Australian player, said that the team will be aiming to finish among the top-6 in the forthcoming HWL.

“The team is trying out a new playing composition with some new players and we will target top 6 at the end of the tournament. Our opening match is against Olympic champions Germany and so we are expecting a tough match.

“The boys have worked on their passes and technique of tackling the opposition, which I believe will help them win matches,” Batch said.

Meanwhile, captain Dean Couzins said the team will have a point to prove ahead of the World Cup. “We want to prove ourselves after every match and want to meet the expectation of being the top-8 hockey team in the world,”Couzins said.

New Zealand have been clubbed alongside Germany, England and hosts India in Pool A, while Pool B consists of Netherlands, Argentina, Australia and Belgium.