The Indian Women's Hockey Team is now ranked sixth with 2368.83 points in the International Hockey Federation, ever since its win at the Jharkhand Asian Champions Trophy. The team has climbed up to their best ranking ever, from being in the 8th position after winning the bronze medal at the Asian Games in Hanghzou, China.
At the top of the table are the Netherlands, followed by Australia at the second position, Argentina at third, Belgium at fourth, and Germany just above India.
Jharkhand Asian Champions Trophy
The Indian Hockey Team clinched the Women's Asian Champions Trophy on November 5, with a 4-0 victory over Japan at Ranchi's Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium. The star players, Sangita Kumari, Neha Goyal, Lalremsiami, and Vandana Katariya secured a goal each, leading the team to victory for the second time after 2016.
In spite of a 45-minute delayed start and no goals from either team in the first quarter, Sangita Kumari delivered a superb finish early in the second quarter, pushing India to the lead position. Japan too provided a steadfast defense against India's goalkeeper Savita Punia. The guest team too seemed to score a goal in the second quarter but was chalked off as a penalty, as a video review by India revealed that the ball had touched the Japanese player's hand before the strike.
The third quarter too remained goalless, until Neha Goyal struck a second goal for India in the final quarter, followed by two goals each from Lalremsiami and Vandana Katariya in the closing moments of the match, bestowing the champion's title to the Indian Women's Hockey Team.
Meet the Star Players of the Asian Champions Trophy
Sangita Kumari (21) was born in Karangaguri Nawatoli, Jharkhand. She was selected in the state women's hockey training centre in 2012 and was named in the Under-21 squad for a five-nation tournament in Valencia in 2016. She made it to the national Indian Women's Hockey Team in 2022. Kumari holds the distinction of 21 goals.
Neha Goyal (26) hails from Sonipat, Haryana. She started playing hockey at the age of 11 at an academy run by former India captain, Pritam Rani Siwach. Goyal made it to the national team in 2014 and played her first match in Glasgow's International Hockey Federation Champions Challenge. She plays as a midfielder and has scored over 18 goals.
Lalremsiami (23) was born in Kolasib, Mizoram. She was selected for the national team in 2016 and became the first sportsperson from Mizoram to win an Asian medal after she won silver at the 2018 Asian Games. She was also a part of the 18-member squad that represented India at the 2018 World Cup. She has scored over 37 goals in her career.
Uttarakhand's Vandana Katariya (31) was picked by the Indian junior team in 2006 and made it to the national team in 2010. She was a part of the team that won bronze at the 2013 Junior World Cup in Mönchengladbach, Germany, when she was India's top scorer in the tournament, having scored 5 goals in 4 games. She won her 100th cap while playing against Canada in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. Katariya has scored over 91 goals in her career of over 250 games.
In recognition of their performance, Hockey India declared a reward of Rs. 3 lakhs to each member of the Indian Women's Hockey Team and Rs 1.5 lakhs to each member of the support staff.
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