On Sunday, India defeated hosts New Zealand 2-0 in the final of the FIH Women’s Nations Cup held in Auckland, clinching the title and securing a spot in the International Hockey Federation Women’s Pro League. Navneet Kaur gave India an early lead, which was subsequently doubled by Sunelita Toppo. The team displayed excellent defense to win the title. This victory not only cemented their success but also ensured their return to the Pro League campaign for the upcoming season.
Lalremsiami won the ‘Player of the Match’ award in the final, while Deepika was the tournament’s joint top scorer with six goals. India secured its second Nations Cup title after first lifting the trophy in the tournament’s inaugural edition in 2022.
India remained unbeaten throughout their campaign; in Pool A matches, they defeated the USA 3–2, Japan 2–1, and Uruguay 3–2, and then recorded a resounding 6–0 victory over Chile in the semi-final. In recognition of the teams’ achievements, Hockey India announced a cash reward of ₹3 lakh for each player and ₹1.5 lakh for each member of the support staff.
