India women seal Nations Cup title in Auckland

India’s women’s hockey team lifted the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup title after defeating hosts New Zealand 2-0 in the final at the North Harbour Hockey Stadium in Auckland on Sunday.

The win is a gateway to the FIH Hockey Women’s Pro League, the top annual global league where they will play regular matches against the world’s strongest teams.

Navneet Kaur gave India the perfect start, scoring from the team’s first penalty corner in the fourth minute. India continued to press high and doubled the lead in the 15th minute when Sunelita Toppo deflected in Deepika’s powerful drag flick from another set piece.

India dominated the opening half through penalty corners and sustained pressure, while New Zealand struggled to find clear routes into the Indian circle. The hosts pushed harder after the break, but India’s defence remained compact and disciplined, according to International Hockey Federation (IHF) match report.

Goalkeeper Savita made a key save from Kaitlin Cotter’s penalty-corner attempt in the final quarter, while India held firm even after Nikki Pradhan received a yellow card with seven minutes left. New Zealand withdrew goalkeeper Grace O’Hanlon for an extra outfield player, but India protected their lead until the final whistle.

It was India’s second Women’s Nations Cup triumph, following their inaugural title win in 2022. Deepika finished as joint top scorer of the tournament with USA’s Ashley Sessa, while Lalremsiami was named player of the match in the final.