Hangzhou [China], September 5 : The Indian hockey team kicked off their Women's Asia Cup 2025 journey on a stellar note by defeating Thailand with a commanding scoreline of 11-0 in their Pool B fixture.
Mumtaz Khan (7', 49'), Udita (30', 52') and Beauty Dung Dung (45', 54') scored two goals apiece for India while Sangita Kumari (10'), Navneet Kaur (16'), Lalremsiami (18'), Sharmila Devi (57') and Rutuja Dadaso Pisal (60') also featured on the scoresheet.
India asserted their dominance early on with two field goals from Mumtaz Khan (7') and Sangita Kumari (10') in the first quarter. The second quarter saw India further increase their attacking intensity with three more goals to expand their advantage.
Experienced forward Navneet Kaur (16') and midfielder Lalremsiami (18') scored two back-to-back field goals, followed by a penalty corner conversion from Udita (30') to end the first half on a strong note.
The second half followed a similar trend with India's constant attacks inside Thailand's circle as they won four penalty corners in the third quarter, through which Beauty Dung Dung (45') scored her first goal in the 45th minute.
The final quarter of the match saw India score five goals on the trot to seal a big win in their opening encounter. Mumtaz Khan (49'), Udita (52') and Sharmila Devi (57') scored through penalty corners while Beauty Dung Dung (54') and Rutuja Dadaso Pisal (60') scored field goals for their side.
India will be looking to lift the title for the third time after winning the Women's Asia Cup twice, first in 2004 and again in 2017. In the last edition of the event, India finished third in the tournament. The 20-member team is being led by captain Salima Tete, who aims to win the tournament to secure India's spot in the FIH Women's Hockey World Cup 2026 next year.
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