Auckland, June 21 (IANS) Indian won the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup New Zealand 2025-26 by beating the hosts 2-0 in the final, here on Sunday.

Navneet Kaur (4’) scored the opening goal for India, followed by Sunelita Toppo (15’) adding a second. The team delivered an outstanding defensive performance to secure their victory and claim the title, also ensuring their spot in the FIH Hockey Women’s Pro League next season.

Lalremsiami received the ‘Player of the Match’ award in the final, while Deepika finished as the top scorer of the tournament with six goals, sharing the accolade with USA’s Ashley Sessa.

This marks India’s second Nations Cup victory, following their first win at the inaugural tournament in 2022. India stayed unbeaten during the event, beating USA (3-2), Japan (2-1), and Uruguay (3-2) in the Pool A matches. They then secured a decisive 6-0 win against Chile in the semi-final. In the final, they showcased a strong performance to win the title with a 2-0 defeat of New Zealand.

To celebrate the teams’ accomplishments, Hockey India announced a cash prize of INR 3 lakh for each player and INR 1.5 lakh for support staff members.

“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 controlled much of the possession early on as they aimed to establish an advantage. However, the visitors created the first significant chance when Navneet earned a penalty corner. She scored from this set piece with a powerful strike in the 4th minute, giving India the lead.

India excelled in transition, creating numerous challenges for New Zealand’s defense with their energy. They extended their lead in the first quarter’s fifth penalty corner when Sunelita Toppo redirected a sharp attempt from Deepika, making it 2-0 in the 15th minute.

In the second quarter, India remained disciplined, while New Zealand started to find their rhythm and look for a comeback. 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 stayed resolute in the third quarter, showcasing a strong defensive effort that prevented the hosts from creating any clear goal-scoring chances. Their high-intensity play forced an error in New Zealand’s defense, but Navneet’s reverse shot was saved by the goalkeeper.

In the fourth quarter, New Zealand was awarded a penalty corner early on. However, Savita saved the set-piece, preserving India’s two-goal lead. The visitors continued to excel in their disciplined defensive organization and ultimately won 2-0, securing the title.

–IANS

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