Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], January 16 : Hockey India congratulated defender Udita on completing 100 International Caps when India took on Italy in their final Pool B match of the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024 at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh AstroTurf Hockey Stadium on Tuesday here in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
Udita, who hails from Haryana, has played the role of a defender for the Indian women's hockey team with aplomb ever since she made her debut in 2017. She played a significant role in the team that won the Silver Medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and was also a part of the squad that finished second in the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy at Donghae. Udita represented India at the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup in London where India finished in eighth place.
The speedy defender was a part of India's fourth-place finish in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Her contribution was crucial in India winning the Bronze medal at the 2022 Women's Hockey Asia Cup held in Muscat, Oman. The 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England saw the Indian Women's Hockey Team finishing in third place and Udita was a part of the squad.
In December 2022, India beat the host nation Spain in the Women's FIH Hockey Nations Cup finals at Valencia to win the Gold medal. Udita's equalizer in the semi-finals against Ireland was critical to the team's success. She was also a part of the squad that won the Bronze medal in the Asian Games in Hangzhou which ended in October 2023. Udita's most recent achievement was winning the Gold medal with the Indian team at the 2023 Women's Asian Champions Trophy in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
"It is an absolute honour for me to be able to have represented the country in 100 matches. There have been ups and downs but that's what has made this journey worthwhile. Playing such a special game in front of your home crowd is the cherry on top. None of this would have been possible without the support of my family, friends, teammates and support staff. No words can describe how grateful I am to all of them for their constant backing," Udita was quoted as saying by Hockey India.
Congratulating Udita on achieving this milestone, Hockey India President Dilip Kumar Tirkey said, "A heartfelt congratulations to Udita on this commendable achievement. It is one that she can be extremely proud of just as we are. Her contribution to Indian hockey is immeasurable and I'm sure she'll continue to persevere with her tremendous efforts."
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