Hyderabad, March 10 India will aim for at least a draw against Wales in their final group match to advance to the semi-finals of the FIH Women's Hockey World Cup Qualifiers here on Wednesday.
India currently leads Group B with four points from two matches, the same as second-place Scotland, but has a better goal difference.
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, and India needs either a draw or a win to reach the last four round.
However, if India loses, they will remain on four points, and their qualification will depend on the match between Scotland and Uruguay.
The Indian women have had a strong campaign so far. They began the tournament with a dominant 4-0 victory over Uruguay on March 8, followed by a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Scotland on Monday.
Young forward Sunelita Toppo has been in top form, scoring in both matches. Attackers Lalremsiami, Navneet Kaur, and Rutuja Dadaso Pisal have also been excellent, finding the net and creating multiple scoring opportunities.
The Indian defence has also been solid, with goalkeeper Bichu Devi consistently making crucial saves.
Playing in front of a cheering home crowd in Hyderabad has also given the hosts a significant boost in energy.
India captain Salima Tete is satisfied with the team's performance so far.
"After the first two games, there is a positive atmosphere within the team. The young players are seizing their opportunities and have been performing very well. The team is enjoying playing freely, and that is a very positive thing for us," she said.
"We want to qualify for the World Cup and become champions. That is what we focus on when the team is together, and that is our goal," Tete added.
India has a promising record against Wales, having won five out of their six head-to-head encounters.
However, Wales will come hard in their bid to register their first win of the campaign, and so India needs to stay focused and avoid complacency.
The top three teams from this tournament will qualify for the World Cup, which will be held in Belgium and the Netherlands later this year.
In other matches of the day, England will play against Austria, Italy will take on Korea, and Scotland will face Uruguay.