Finance
The Indians won the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup New Zealand 2025-26 by defeating the hosts 2-0 in the final on Sunday.
India’s first goal came from Navneet Kaur (4′), and Sunelita Toppo added a second in the 15th minute. The squad put on an exceptional defensive performance to win the title and ensure their berth in the FIH Hockey Women’s Pro League the following season.
Lalremsiami won the ‘Player of the Match’ award in the final, while Deepika was the tournament’s best scorer with six goals, sharing the honor with Ashley Sessa of the United States.
This is India’s second Nations Cup title, following their first success in the inaugural competition in 2022. India remained unbeaten during the campaign, defeating the United States (3-2), Japan (2-1), and Uruguay (3-2) in Pool A matches. They then defeated Chile 6-0 in the semi-final. They delivered a superb performance in the final, defeating New Zealand 2-0 to claim the title.
To commemorate the teams’ achievements, Hockey India has awarded a monetary prize of INR 3 lakh for each player and INR 1.5 lakh for support staff.
“Glory. Gratitude, Recognition. To honour Team India’s FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup 2025-26 title win, Hockey India announces a cash award of Rs3 lakh for each player and Rs1.5 lakh for every member of the support staff. A fitting reward for a team that made the nation proud,” Hockey India said in a statement on X.
In Sunday’s title match, the hosts dominated possession early on as they sought to gain an advantage. However, the visitors created the first big opportunity when Navneet was awarded a penalty corner. She converted this set piece with a strong strike in the fourth minute, giving India the lead.
India dominated at transition, posing multiple issues to New Zealand’s defense with their intensity. They increased their lead at the fifth penalty corner of the first quarter when Sunelita Toppo redirected Deepika’s precise attempt, making it 2-0 in the 15th minute.
India remained disciplined in the second quarter, while New Zealand began to find their groove and mount a comeback attempt. The visitors also had a few chances to narrow the gap, but neither team scored again, leaving India with a two-goal lead at halftime.
India remained steadfast in the third quarter, demonstrating a good defensive effort that kept the hosts from producing any clear goal-scoring opportunities. Their high-intensity play prompted a mistake from New Zealand’s defense, but Navneet’s reverse shot was stopped by the goalkeeper.
In the fourth quarter, New Zealand was awarded a penalty corner early. However, Savita stopped the set-piece, maintaining India’s two-goal lead. The visitors continued to dominate in their precise defensive structure, eventually winning 2-0 and clinching the title.
Source: IANS
