Indian women’s team holds England to a draw, stays in race to semis spot in the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 in Amstelveen on Thursday. / Photo credit: Hockey India

With luck on its side, India survived second half onslaught conceding eight penalty corners to hold England to a goalless draw to move to the second phase of FIH World Cup for women at Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen on Aug. 20.

India needed only a draw to move up as it already had four points in its kitty, one from the opening drawn game against Olympic silver medallist China and then full three points from a big 6-1 win over South Africa.

Also Read: FIH World Cup: Indian women record their biggest win in World Cup

England had only three points from its solitary win against winless South Africa and needed an outright win to move forward.

 Yesterday, Indian men moved to phase 2 with an emphatic 5-3 win over Pakistan to join the hosts and leader of other group, the Netherlands besides the Pan-American champions Argentina in phase 2. Besides India, other team from its group to move to Phase 2 was the group leaders England who had a cent per cent win record from its three matches.

England and the Netherlands move forward with a three-point advantage drawn from their wins against the number two teams in their respective groups. Since England had beaten India and the Netherlands had beaten Argentina, they would not be playing their original group teams in the Phase 2 round.

 India will have to put its best foot forward, both in men and women sections, for a place in the last four. In men’s section, India plays Argentina and the Netherlands.

Indian women start their phase 2 campaign with a game against the Netherlands. 

Though India started well in the first half and looked like taking lead from one of the four penalty corners it earned in the first half. But little wide off the target shooting or failure to put rebounds to use denied it any breakthrough.

In the second half, India was a completely transformed side. It just went into a shell and put everything in its defence. Though they say the best defence is offence, India chose the other way. Defend and only defend. It is why, India conceded eight of 12 penalty corners in the second half. India also benefitted from some excellent goalkeeping by young Bichu Devi who stood between English attackers and the Indian goal.

India’s previous best has been the 1974 World Cup, the inaugural edition, where it finished fourth. Since then, Indian women have never crossed the league hurdle in the previous league-cum-knockout format.

The new format based on 16 teams divided into four pools of four teams each mandate that top two teams from each group to move to the second league-cum-knockout phase.

China topped the pool as in an earlier game in the day, it beat South Africa 5-1 for its second win to take its tally to six points. India had a win and a draw to get four points.

First penalty corner for India came in the fourth minute. Though Navneet found the target with her shot, she was blown for obstruction. Four minutes later India earned its second penalty corner but this time the attempted shot at the English goal was wide of the target.

Yet another penalty corner followed and once again, the shot was wide off the mark.

England got its first penalty corner after India had wasted all three it got in the first 10 minutes.  England was awarded a penalty corner for stick check in the 10^th minute. No score as the first quarter ended goalless

After change of ends, India earned its fourth penalty corner in the 26^th minute that again failed to produce anything substantial. It was now turn of England, to get a penalty corner in the 26^th minute followed by yet another similar award. The first half ended in a stalemate as none of the teams could score.

After change of ends India continued its offensive strategy for a few minutes before getting into a shell in defence of its fort. Before getting defensive, India had two more penalty corners and from one of them, Navneet pounces upon the rebound and finds the net but umpire blew for undercutting.

The complexion of the game changed afterwards. England had a series of penalty corners, eight of them, in the second half. It was Bichu Devi who stood her ground well.

India succeeded in its game plan of holding England to a goalless draw and moves up with five points while England with four points finished third to face elimination.

 

Discover more at New India Abroad.