Indian women secure thrilling draw against China in opener.

Opening their FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 campaign with fierce determination, the Indian Women's Hockey Team played out an intense 2-2 draw against 2024 Olympic silver medallists China on Sunday. Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen hosted this gripping Pool D encounter. Historically, matches between these two Asian giants always bring high drama, as both teams fight relentlessly for continental supremacy on the global stage.

Early Lead for India

India started brightly and quickly applied heavy pressure on the Chinese defence. Lalremsiami created early trouble by drawing a foul inside the circle to earn the first penalty corner. Although defenders blocked Navneet's initial attempt, India kept pushing forward. Neha pushed the ball into the striking circle from outside the D, allowing Navneet to land the final touch and secure a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute.

China Responds

Trailing by a goal, China gradually found their rhythm. Li Hong fired a dangerous ball into the circle in the 14th minute, which deflected off an Indian stick and resulted in a penalty stroke. Ying Zhang stepped up and equalized by sending Savita the wrong way. India bounced back strongly late in the second quarter. Deepika produced a brilliant individual run in the 24th minute, dribbling beautifully along the baseline to win a penalty corner. She confidently fired a powerful drag-flick into the net in the 25th minute, giving India a 2-1 advantage at half-time.

Intense Second Half Battle

Coming out of the break, China pressed aggressively. Savita made several crucial saves to keep India ahead early in the third quarter. However, Ma Ning executed a perfect drag-flick from a penalty corner in the 39th minute to level the score at 2-2. China dominated possession for the rest of the quarter, but the Indian defence held firm. Navneet almost set up a late winner for Lalremsiami in the 52nd minute, yet the Chinese defenders crowded out the attempt. China earned another dangerous penalty corner in the 57th minute, but India successfully defended the situation.

Both teams shared the points in this hard-fought contest. England currently leads the Pool D standings following their 4-0 win over South Africa. India and China share second place. India will play South Africa next on August 18, searching for their first tournament victory, while the Indian men's team faces England on August 17.

Wth Inputs from Agency Threads and Image Courtesy: ANI