India To Begin Campaign Against South Korea.

India was handed a relatively easy draw on Saturday for the 2023 FIH Men's hockey Junior World Cup and will start its campaign against South Korea in a Group C match on December 5,the opening day of the marquee event. The tournament will conclude on December 16,with the matches taking place at Bukit Jalil. Besides South Korea, India, which finished fourth in the last edition in 2021 having turned out as the host in Bhubaneswar, has drawn Spain and Canada. India will take on Spain on December 7 and end its group engagements against Canada on December 9.

Host Malaysia is in Group A with Argentina, Australia and Chile, while Germany, France, South Africa, and Egypt are in Group B. Netherlands, Belgium, Pakistan and New Zealand form Group D. The pools were established on the basis of the first FIH Junior World rankings, the sport's apex body said in a press release. Sixteen teams from around the world will be vying for the coveted title. Argentina trumpted six-time champion Germany to win the gold in the last edition, while France and India finished third and fourth, respectively. India is the only team besides Germany and Argentina, to win the tournament more than once- 2001 and 2016.