India win inaugural Women’s Asian Hockey 5s World Cup Qualifier, beat Thailand 7-2 in final

PTI, Aug 29, 2023, 8:05 AM IST

Credit: @DilipTirkey / X (Formerly Twitter)

Salalah (Oman): India defeated Thailand 7-2 in the final here on Monday to win the inaugural Women’s Asian Hockey 5s World Cup Qualifier and seal their berth in the next year’s World Cup.

Mariana Kujur (2nd, 8th minutes) and Jyoti (10th, 27th) scored a brace for India, while Monika Dipi Toppo (7th), skipper Navjot Kaur (23rd) and Mahima Choudhary (29th) were the other goal scorers.

For Thailand, Kunjira Inpa (5th) and Sanpoung Kornkanok (5th) were on target.

Victory in Asia, and the World awaits! 🌍🏑 Huge congratulations to the Indian Women’s Hockey Team on their phenomenal triumph at the Hockey 5s Asian Cup and on qualifying for the Hockey5s World Cup! Your hard work, determination, and unwavering dedication have not only secured… pic.twitter.com/p4JQQlbYv7

— Dilip Kumar Tirkey (@DilipTirkey) August 28, 2023

India, thus, qualified for the inaugural edition of the Hockey 5s World Cup to be held in Muscat from January 24-27 next year.

India were quick to get off the blocks with Kujur handing her side the lead very early into the match with an excellent field goal.

But Thailand struck two goals in quick time through Ipna and Kornkanok to put India on the back foot.

India responded immediately through in-form Toppo as she made a brilliant penetration and scored a fine field goal to level the scores minutes later.

India then took the lead through Kujur’s second strike a minute later.

With four minutes remaining in the first half, Jyoti extended India’s lead to 4-2.

Here are your winners 🏆 🥇

Congratulations to the Indian Women’s team for clinching Gold in the Women’s Hockey5s Asia Cup 2023.#HockeyIndia #IndiaKaGame #Hockey5s pic.twitter.com/ium3pT3kDz

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) August 28, 2023

After the change of ends, a charged-up India continued to play with pace and precision, testing Thailand’s defence constantly.

Their efforts paid off as captain Navjot added a fifth goal to the tally.

With three minutes remaining, Jyoti pumped in another goal to make it 6-2 and then Choudhary made it 7-2.

Earlier in the day, Navjot slammed a hat-trick as India defeated Malaysia 9-5 to enter the final.

Navjot (7th, 10th, 17th minutes) struck a hat-trick while Kujur (9th, 12th) and Jyoti (21th, 26th) scored twice each.

Toppo (22nd) and Choudhary (14th) were the other goal-scorers for India.

For Malaysia, Zati Muhamad (4th, 5th), Dian Nazeri (10th, 20th) and Aziz Zafirah (16th) found the net.

Hockey India has announced Rs 2 lakh reward to each player of the team, while Rs 1 lakh each for the support staff.