Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated the Indian women's hockey team for winning the FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup, lauding their outstanding performances throughout the tournament. The team defeated hosts New Zealand 2-0 in the final in Auckland to claim the title.
PM Modi's message and team achievement
In a post on X, PM Modi said: "Indian hockey players bring pride and joy! Congratulations to the women's team for emerging as winners in the FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup. The team played exceptionally well throughout the entire tournament. Best wishes to the team. May this win inspire several others to play hockey." The victory marks India's second Nations Cup title, having won the inaugural edition in 2022.
Match highlights and key players
Navneet Kaur scored in the 4th minute to give India an early lead, and Sunelita Toppo doubled the advantage in the 15th minute. India then produced a stellar defensive display to protect the lead and secure the win. The victory also ensures India's return to the FIH Hockey Women's Pro League next season. Lalremsiami was named 'Player of the Match' for the final, while Deepika finished as joint-top scorer of the tournament with six goals, sharing the honour with USA's Ashley Sessa.
Unbeaten campaign and cash award
India remained unbeaten throughout the tournament. In Pool A, they defeated USA (3-2), Japan (2-1), and Uruguay (3-2), then beat Chile 6-0 in the semi-final. To recognise the team's achievement, Hockey India announced a cash award of Rs 3 lakh for each player and Rs 1.5 lakh for each member of the support staff.
