Hockey Worlds India Women Hammer South Africa 6 1 Top Pool D

Mumbai: In their first two games at the 2026 Women’s Hockey World Cup, two sides to the Indian team have been on display.

Against Olympic silver medallists China in the opener on Sunday, India were courageous. They played with discipline, focus and cohesion against a strong opposition. On Tuesday against South Africa, the lowest ranked team in the tournament, the chemistry seemed off as the passes were awry and individual errors were unmistakable.

However, India came off way better when it came to the results from the two matches. The 2-2 draw against China was commendable, and the 6-1 win over South Africa at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen. It saw India climb to the top of Pool D with one match to go in the first group stage of the contest.

After the important draw against China – one of the teams to beat in the contest – India needed to score goals, and plenty of them, to earn a positive goal difference should it be needed to decide the top two finishers in a group that also includes England.

India managed to pick up their biggest World Cup win, going better than the 4-1 triumph over Spain in 1974.

In the halftime interview, head coach Sjoerd Marijne lamented about “too many individual errors” being committed by his players. This was when India were already leading 3-0.

Marijne’s views were justified as the frontline struggled to string together enough telling passes to dissect the South African defence, which had been error prone. When India did manage to get those passes together, the final shot lacked sting.

The first goal came more as a gift. Navneet Kaur, who did have a good game, pushed the ball forward. It was a hopeful pass that did not have much pace on it. Inexplicably, two South African defenders fluffed their attempted clearances and the ball fell kindly to Sunelita Toppo, who had the simple task of tapping in at close range.

Navneet also scored the second goal, this time through a well-struck shot at the end of a penalty corner.

The third came through the unlikeliest of sources. Sushila Chanu, a hardy defender with over 250 caps to her name, got to the ball first after a shot was blocked during a penalty corner routine. From a sharp angle, she hit powerfully towards the far post. In all likelihood, it was more of a pass towards her teammates waiting on the other side of the goal, but the ball caught South Africa goalkeeper Marlise van Tonder’s stick and deflected into the goal. This was Sushila’s seventh international goal.

That lack of understanding in the passing movement continued in the early stages of the second half. But in the 38th minute, India showed what they are capable of when those passes do click.

Navneet and Baljeet Kaur exchanged passes three times amid a sea of South Africa defenders to move into the circle before the latter pulled it back for Deepika Sehrawat. The young striker, who had also scored against China, ended the well-worked move with her 39th international goal.

Lalremsiami also got on the scoresheet, through a reverse hit that should have been stopped, but somehow substitute goalkeeper Morgan de Jager mistimed her kick and let the ball into the goal.

India’s last goal came through another reverse hit, a well-taken one at that, from 18-year-old Sakshi Rana, ensuring that each of India’s goals came through a different player.

Within those six goals though, South Africa did make several forays into the Indian half. Eventually, Kayla de Waal deflected Hannah Pearce’s drag-flick in the 55th minute.

Their biggest-ever win in the World Cup came when India were not required to be at their best. But it came through the collective effort and that bond should help when they face the much stronger England.

Been a sports journalist for over 11 years. Won the best article award at the PII-ICRC Annual Awards in 2024.