Hockey World Cup 2023: India Out Of Title Race After Losing To New Zealand In Crossover Match

The Men in Blue crashed out of the tournament after losing 4-5 via penalty shootout to lower-ranked New Zealand following a 3-3 draw after regulation time. Pic: @TheHockeyIndia / Twitter

India, ranked sixth in the world, produced a below-par performance, allowing New Zealand to claw back into the match after taking a 2-0 lead in the first half. Pic: @TheHockeyIndia / Twitter

India scored through Lalit Upadhyay (17th minute), Sukhjeet Singh (24th) and Varun Kumar (40th). Pic: @TheHockeyIndia / Twitter

New Zealand replied through Sam Lane (28th) and two penalty-corner conversions by Kane Russell (43rd) and Sean Findlay (49th). Pic: @TheHockeyIndia / Twitter

New Zealand will now take on reigning world champions Belgium in the quarterfinals. Pic: @TheHockeyIndia / Twitter