Mumbai: In their first two games at the 2026 Women’s Hockey World Cup, two sides to the Indian team have been on display.
The 2-2 draw against China was commendable, and the 6-1 win over South Africa at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen. However, India came off way better when it came to the results from the two matches. It saw India climb to the top of Pool D with one match to go in the first group stage of the contest. After the important draw against China – one of the teams to beat in the contest – India needed to score goals, and plenty of them, to earn a positive goal difference should it be needed to decide the top two finishers in a group that also includes England.
Sushila Chanu, a hardy defender with over 250 caps to her name, got to the ball first after a shot was blocked during a penalty corner routine. The first goal came more as a gift. Navneet Kaur, who did have a good game, pushed the ball forward. It was a hopeful pass that did not have much pace on it. Inexplicably, two South African defenders fluffed their attempted clearances and the ball fell kindly to Sunelita Toppo, who had the simple task of tapping in at close range. Navneet also scored the second goal, this time through a well-struck shot at the end of a penalty corner. The third came through the unlikeliest of sources. From a sharp angle, she hit powerfully towards the far post. In all likelihood, it was more of a pass towards her teammates waiting on the other side of the goal, but the ball caught South Africa goalkeeper Marlise van Tonder’s stick and deflected into the goal. This was Sushila’s seventh international goal. That lack of understanding in the passing movement continued in the early stages of the second half. But in the 38th minute, India showed what they are capable of when those passes do click. The young striker, who had also scored against China, ended the well-worked move with her 39th international goal. Within those six goals though, South Africa did make several forays into the Indian half. Eventually, Kayla de Waal deflected Hannah Pearce’s drag-flick in the 55th minute.
Navneet and Baljeet Kaur exchanged passes three times amid a sea of South Africa defenders to move into the circle before the latter pulled it back for Deepika Sehrawat.
