India completed an unbeaten campaign by defeating hosts New Zealand 2-0 in the final to win the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup and secure promotion to the Pro League….reports Asian Lite News Desk
India captain Salima Tete praised her team’s determination and focus after the women’s hockey side completed an unbeaten campaign to win the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup and secure promotion to the FIH Pro League.
India defeated hosts New Zealand 2-0 in the final in Auckland on Sunday, capping a dominant tournament run that saw them emerge as deserving champions and earn a place among the world’s elite teams next season.
The Indian side impressed throughout the competition, recording victories over the United States, Japan and Uruguay in the pool stage before overcoming Chile in the semi-finals and New Zealand in the title clash.
The final was effectively decided within the opening 15 minutes. Navneet Kaur put India ahead in the fourth minute before Sunelita Toppo doubled the lead in the 15th minute. The early goals gave India control of the contest, and they followed it up with a disciplined defensive display to deny the hosts any route back into the match.
Forward Lalremsiami was named Player of the Match for her performance in the final, while drag flick specialist Deepika finished as the tournament’s joint leading scorer with six goals, sharing the honour with USA forward Ashley Sessa.
The victory was met with rewards from Hockey India, which announced a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh for each player and Rs 1.5 lakh for every member of the support staff in recognition of the team’s achievement.
Head coach Sjoerd Marijne said the title represented a significant milestone in the development of the squad and highlighted the progress made since a disappointing defeat to England in a recent World Cup qualifier.
“Of course, we are delighted to win our first tournament and final together. It was crucial for us to learn how to win finals, especially after our recent heartbreak against England at the World Cup qualifier. The team improved with every match. We relied on a very strong and well-organised defence,” Marijne said.
The Dutch coach also credited India’s effectiveness from penalty corners as a key factor behind their success, although he stressed that converting more field-goal opportunities remains an area for improvement.
“While we created enough opportunities to score more, that remains an area where we must keep working. Our penalty-corner conversion was very good throughout this tournament. If we can achieve a higher conversion rate for field goals, that will be fantastic.
“It is never easy to win a tournament when you enter as the highest-ranked team. We showed that we can manage that pressure well,” he added.
Captain Salima echoed her coach’s sentiments and said the team arrived in New Zealand with a clear objective.
“It feels absolutely amazing to lift this trophy. Our entire team worked incredibly hard for this moment. We entered this tournament with a clear mindset to bring the trophy home. Securing promotion back to the Pro League was extremely important for us. I am proud that we achieved our goal,” she said.
Salima believes the title win will provide a valuable boost as India begin preparations for the upcoming World Cup.
“With the World Cup approaching, this victory provides a massive boost to our confidence. The team is playing with a very strong mindset right now. Every single match in this tournament was highly important for us. This win gives us the perfect momentum for our future preparations,” she added.
India’s Nations Cup triumph not only delivered silverware but also marked an important step forward for a young squad eager to test itself regularly against the world’s best teams in the Pro League.
