RAJGIR, Nov 20: The Indian women’s hockey team successfully defended their Asian Champions Trophy title with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Olympic silver medallists China in the final held at the Bihar Sports University Hockey Stadium on Wednesday. In-form forward Deepika Sehrawat emerged as the hero of the match, scoring the decisive goal in the third quarter.
This triumph marks India’s third Women’s Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) title, equalling South Korea’s record for the most titles in the tournament’s history. India had previously won the trophy in 2016 and 2023, achieving back-to-back wins for the second time.
Deepika Sehrawat, who has been in stellar form throughout the tournament, netted her 11th goal with a spectacular drag flick from a penalty corner in the 31st minute. She first earned the penalty after being intentionally pushed by China’s Junon Kawai and then delivered a stunning strike to find the bottom corner.
The match showcased exceptional defensive efforts from both teams, with very few scoring opportunities. China’s disciplined defense posed a challenge, but Deepika’s breakthrough goal proved decisive.
While India secured the gold, China settled for their second consecutive runner-up finish. In the third-place match, Japan defeated Malaysia 4-1 to claim the bronze medal.
India’s starting lineup included Savita (GK), Jyoti, Sushila Chanu, Vaishnavi, Lalremsiami, Sharmila Devi, Neha, Salima Tete (C), Sangita Kumari, Navneet Kaur, and Deepika Sehrawat.
