Hockey player Navneet Kaur / Hockey India via Instagram

The English teams—England and Scotland—could not have asked for a better wrap-up of their campaigns in the World Cup qualifiers for women in Hyderabad.

While England won the tournament, defeating the host India 2-0 in the gold medal match, Scotland overcame stiff resistance to defeat Italy by a solitary goal in the bronze medal match.

All three—England, India, and Scotland—have qualified for the FIH Hockey World Cup for Women to be played in August this year.

Grace Balsdon (13’) and Elizabeth Neal (43') were the scorers for England.

Buoyed by a strong home crowd, India started the game on the front foot, with Navneet Kaur helping her side earn a penalty corner within the opening two minutes. However, her drag flick was kicked out by the England goalkeeper.

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The hosts showed great discipline, maintaining a solid defence while also making inroads into their opponents' territory. However, England grew into the game towards the end of the first quarter, earning a penalty corner with two minutes to go. Grace Balsdon (13’) made the most of that opportunity, finding the back of the net with her drag flick and scoring her fifth goal from a penalty corner in this tournament to give England the lead.

The second quarter began similarly to the first, with both teams not giving much away in this engaging contest. With 8 circle penetrations in the first half, India was probing the opponent's strategy but failed to distract the England goalkeeper.

With the lead, England controlled the tempo of the game by neatly working the ball and maintaining possession. India had a few opportunities to pile on the pressure, but the visitors stood firm at the back. They eventually doubled their lead courtesy of Elizabeth Neal (43’). The midfielder was fortunate, as her effort deflected off an Indian defender before finding its way past Bichu Devi, giving England a 2-0 lead at the end of the third quarter.

India continued to push forward in search of a goal that would get it back into the game. With the scoreline in favour, England remained positive in its approach and ensured it did not go into a shell to give the hosts an opportunity. It was a free-flowing final quarter as India earned a penalty corner in the dying moments. However, the home team couldn’t find the back of the net and eventually succumbed to a 2-0 defeat.

Meanwhile, Hockey India congratulated Indian captain Salima Tete on completing her 150th international cap. She reached the landmark during the final against

Known for her blistering pace and tireless work ethic in midfield, Salima made her debut for India in the 2016 Test Matches against Australia, held in Melbourne in November 2016. Since then, the 25-year-old Jharkhand-born midfielder has developed into one of the most influential players in the national setup, creating numerous scoring opportunities for her teammates while also netting 16 goals herself.

Salima became an Olympian at 19 when she was part of the historic Indian team that finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. The experience proved to be a major turning point in her career, as she emerged as one of the team’s standout performers in the years that followed.

Soon after, she was named the Rising Player of the Tournament at the Women’s Asia Cup 2022 in Muscat, where India secured a third-place finish. Salima also captained the Indian side at the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup 2021 in Potchefstroom, South Africa, where the team finished fourth.

At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Salima scored a crucial goal in the 3rd/4th place match against New Zealand, helping India script their first official victory over the Kiwis through a penalty shootout and clinch the bronze medal. She was also an integral part of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team that won the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup Spain 2022 in December of that year.

In 2023, Salima continued her rise by playing a key role in India’s bronze medal-winning campaign at the Hangzhou Asian Games. Her finest individual performance came later that year at the Jharkhand Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Ranchi 2023, where she scored five goals in seven matches and was named player of the tournament.

In addition to her contributions in the field, Salima was appointed as an AHF Athletes Ambassador in March 2023, a role that further underlined her growing stature in international hockey and her commitment to athlete representation and development.

Her consistent performances and leadership qualities were rewarded in 2024 when she was appointed captain of the Indian women's hockey team. Under her leadership, India went on to win gold at the Bihar Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Rajgir 2024 and followed it up with a silver medal at the Women’s Asia Cup in 2025.

Salima’s rise in international hockey has also been reflected in the recognition she has received off the field. In 2021, she was honoured with the Hockey India Asunta Lakra Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Women Under 21), underlining her emergence as one of the brightest young talents in the country. Her continued excellence was further acknowledged in 2023 when she received the prestigious Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year. In 2024, Salima’s outstanding contribution to Indian hockey was recognised at the national level with the Arjuna Award, marking another major milestone in her inspiring career.

Congratulating Salima on the milestone, Hockey India President DDrDilip Tirkey said, “Completing 150 international caps at such a young age is a wonderful achievement and speaks volumes about Salima’s talent, consistency, and commitment to Indian hockey. She has grown tremendously as a player over the years and has led the team with great energy and maturity. Salima’s journey from Jharkhand to captaining the Indian Women’s Hockey Team is truly inspiring, and on behalf of Hockey India, I congratulate her on this special milestone and wish her continued success.”

Hockey India Secretary General Shri Bhola Nath Singh added, “Salima Tete has been one of the most exciting and influential players in Indian women’s hockey in recent years. Her ability to lead from the front, both with her performances and her attitude, has made her a vital member of the team. Reaching 150 caps is a proud moment for her, her family, and Indian hockey as a whole. We congratulate her on this landmark and look forward to seeing her achieve many more milestones in the future.”

Discover more at New India Abroad.