Unbeaten India blanks New Zealand for Nations Cup gold
India clinched their second FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup title by defeating host nation New Zealand 2-0 in Auckland on Sunday. Early goals from Navneet Kaur and Sunelita Toppo secured this crucial victory. This triumphant campaign guarantees India's promotion back to the prestigious FIH Hockey Women's Pro League for the upcoming season. Returning to the Pro League ensures the squad will regularly face top-tier global competition, an essential step for long-term Olympic preparation.
Navneet converted an early penalty corner just four minutes into the match. Sunelita deflected a sharp shot from Deepika eleven minutes later to double their advantage. Savita and her defensive line protected this lead flawlessly through the remaining three quarters. New Zealand pressed hard during the final stages, but the visitors denied every scoring opportunity.
Lalremsiami earned top match honours for her outstanding field performance. Meanwhile, Deepika finished as joint-top tournament scorer with six impressive goals. Hockey India quickly announced cash prizes of 3 lakh INR for every player and 1.5 lakh INR for support staff. These rewards celebrate an unblemished campaign where India won every single match they played.
Image Courtesy: ANI
