Deepika scores eight as India rout Uzbekistan 19-0 in Asian Games Pool B opener

India’s women’s hockey team beat Uzbekistan 19-0 in Kakamigahara on Saturday in their opening Pool B match at the Asian Games 2026, with Deepika scoring eight goals and Ishika completing a hat-trick.

Deepika, described in match reports as a penalty-corner specialist, finished with eight goals and Ishika netted three as eight different Indian players scored in a dominant performance; veteran goalkeeper Savita also reached a milestone senior appearance during the game.

India broke the deadlock after seven minutes when Lalremsiami converted a field goal, one minute after Navneet Kaur’s first attempt struck the goalkeeper’s pads, and Deepika added a second goal in the following minute from open play. Ishika made it 3-0 in the 11th minute and Baljeet Kaur scored in the 12th minute, the latter appearance marking her 50th senior international match, as India took a 4-0 lead into the first-quarter break.

In the second quarter Neha scored from open play in the 18th minute before India earned a penalty corner in the 22nd minute, which Deepika converted for her second of the match. Navneet added a goal in the 23rd minute and Deepika scored again from a penalty corner in the 25th minute to leave India 8-0 at half-time.

Deepika then struck four consecutive times from penalty corners between the 33rd and 41st minutes, bringing her total to seven goals. Ishika scored her second in the 42nd minute, Lalthantluangi and Sakshi Rana both scored in the 43rd minute, and Navneet completed her brace just before the third-quarter hooter to push the score to 16-0.

In the final quarter Lalthantluangi converted a penalty stroke in the 51st minute, Ishika completed her hat-trick in the 54th minute, and Deepika added an eighth goal with a field strike in the same minute to finish the scoring at 19-0; Deepika’s haul included all but one goal from penalty corners.

Goalkeeper Savita completed 320 senior international appearances in the match, drawing level with Vandana Katariya for the most caps by an Indian woman hockey player, and India will next face Indonesia on Sunday in their second Pool B fixture.