Netherlands also became the most goal-scoring team in the ongoing World Cup with a total of 22 goals in three matches. With a hat-trick each against Chile, Jip Janssen and Thierry Brinkman (both Netherlands) became top scorers with five goals each. Janssen alone converted four penalty corners and was awarded the Player of the Match.

With three wins from three matches, Netherlands topped Pool C with full nine points. Malaysia finished second in this group with a 3-2 win over New Zealand in the first match of the day. This was the second win for Malaysia and they completed their pool engagements with six points. New Zealand finished third with one win and three points, while Chile ended wooden spooners with three losses.

England outplayed Spain 4-0 in the third match of the day to top Pool D with seven points from three games. Though India too finished with seven points by prevailing over a spirited Wales 4-2, superior goal difference helped England secure the quarterfinal berth. England completed their pool engagements with a goal difference of nine, against four by India.

Needing a victory of 8-0 margin to advance to the last-eight stage, India failed to score any goal in the first quarter of their last pool match against minnows Wales. Shamsher Singh, who was playing his 50th international match, drew first blood for India in the 21st minute, converting a penalty corner.

Akashdeep Singh made 2-0 for the home team with a field goal in the 32nd minute. But Wales made a sensational fight back and scored two goals in space of two minutes take the match to the wire. However, India survived the Wales scare by scoring two goals in the last 15 minutes of the crucial match. Akashdeep scored his second goal in the 45th minute, while captain and dragflick ace Harmanpreet Singh scored his first goal of the tournament, converging a penalty corner in the 59th minute.

The sixth day of the ongong World Cup witnessed another record as New Zealand player Sam Lane etched his name in history, scoring the 2500th World Cup goal during their Pool C match against Malaysia.

RESULTS (19 January 2023):

Match 17 (Pool-C, Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar): Malaysia (Faizal Saari 8-FG, 56-FG; Razie Rahim 42-PC) beat New Zealand (Hayden Phillips 51-FG, Sam Lane 52-PC) 3-2. PoM: Marhan Jalil (Malaysia).

Match 18 (Pool-C, Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar): Netherlands (Jip Janssen 6-PC, 29-PC, 34-PC, 44-PC; Derck De Vilder 22-FG, Thijs Van Dam 23-FG, Thierry Brinkman 25-FG, 33-FG, 58-PC; Terrance Pieters 37-FG, Koen Bijen 40-FG, 45-FG; Justen Blok 42-FG, Teun Beins 48-PC) beat Chile 14-0. PoM: Jip Janssen.

Match 19 (Pool-D, Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar): England (Phil Roper 10-PC, David Condon 21-FG, Nicholas Bandurak 50-FG, Liam Ansell 51-FG) beat Spain 4-0. PoM: Phil Roper.

Match 20 (Pool-D, Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar): India (Shamsher Singh 21-PC, Akashdeep Singh 32-FG, 45-FG; Harmanpreet Singh 59-PC) beat Wales (Gareth Furlong 42-PC, Jacob Draper 44-PC) 4-2. PoM: Akashdeep Singh.
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TOP: Netherlands dragflick expert Jip Janssen scores one of his four goals during their World Cup match against Chile in Bhubaneswar on 19 January 2023.
RIGHT: India forward Akashdeep Singh receives the Player of the Match award from Paralympic Committee of India president Deepa Malik in Bhubaneswar on 19 January 2023.