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Following the match, Bachchan met the Harmanpreet Singh-led Team India and wished the side the very best for the remainder of their World Cup 2026 campaign.
Rahul Dravid and Abhishek Bachchan attend India-Netherlands men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 match. (Picture Credit: X/@TheHockeyIndia)
With the inaugural season of the European T20 Premier League (ETPL) just days away, the worlds of cricket and hockey came together in the Netherlands as ETPL co-owner Abhishek Bachchan, Dublin Guardians co-owner Rahul Dravid and Amsterdam Flames co-owners Steve Waugh and Jamie Dwyer came together to attend the India-Netherlands men’s fixture at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 at Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen on Saturday (August 22).
Following the match, Bachchan met the Harmanpreet Singh-led Team India and wished the side the very best for the remainder of their World Cup 2026 campaign, while Dravid, Waugh and Dwyer watched the action from the stands.
Speaking about witnessing the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 fixture, ETPL co-owner Abhishek Bachchan said, “It’s my first time at the Hockey World Cup and it’s not disappointed. Everything about the experience has just been fantastic. My congratulations to all the organisers, to the host countries for putting on such a wonderful show. I’ve always followed hockey a lot, but it’s wonderful to see the flair that has come into the sport over the years. I really believe hockey is a very exciting sport.”
The European T20 Premier League, the International Cricket Council (ICC)-sanctioned T20 franchise league, gets underway on August 26. Featuring six city-based franchises, ETPL will run until September 20, with the tournament being staged across two venues — Voorburg in the Netherlands and Malahide in Ireland.
The opening fixture will see Rotterdam Dockers take on Amsterdam Flames in Voorburg, setting the stage for an iconic first season as European cricket takes another major step forward.
India lose 1-3 against Netherlands
India faced the Netherlands in their first Pool E match of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 on Saturday at Wagener Stadium but suffered a 1-3 defeat. India conceded the opening goal in the third quarter and two more in the fourth quarter to lose the match. Captain Harmanpreet Singh scored India’s only goal in the fourth quarter.
The defeat against the co-hosts was India’s second loss in four matches in this year’s tournament. India’s chances of qualifying for the semifinals of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 are now hanging by a thread.
India must beat Argentina by at least five goals in their second Pool E match on Monday (August 24) to qualify for the semifinals. In addition, they will have to hope that the Netherlands defeat England in their final Pool E match.
Key Questions Answered
Ask News18India’s chances of reaching the Hockey World Cup semifinals are still mathematically alive despite a loss to the Netherlands. To qualify, India needs to defeat Argentina by a significant margin, ideally by at least two goals, and hope that the Netherlands defeat England in their upcoming match. The Netherlands have already secured a semifinal spot.
Ask News18About the Author
Harshit Bisht is a sports journalist at CNN-News18, where he has been covering cricket, football, and major sporting events from around the world since July 1, 2024. Driven by a passion for storytelli…Read More
August 23, 2026, 20:29 IST
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