India rout South Africa 6-1 to lead Pool D at FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup 2026
India defeated South Africa 6-1 at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen on Tuesday to move to the top of Pool D at the FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup 2026. The victory kept India unbeaten in the tournament and earned them three points from the match.
India entered the fixture having drawn 2-2 with 2024 Olympic silver medallists China in their opening game, leaving them on four points from two matches and top of Pool D on goal difference. The team set out to secure all three points and showed attacking intent from the opening minutes, combining quick passing with forward runs into the circle.
South Africa created the first clear chance in the fourth minute when Kayla de Waal broke through on goal, but Bichu Devi Kharibam produced a save to deny her. India answered immediately as Salima Tete drove on the right and found Sunelita Toppo, whose early effort was kept out by goalkeeper Marlise van Tonder. India earned a penalty corner in the seventh minute after Baljeet Kaur’s run down the left; Deepika took the set piece but van Tonder blocked it, and India finally opened the scoring in the 11th minute when Sakshi Rana’s attempt deflected to Sunelita Toppo at the far post.
Ishika Chaudhary received a green card in the 15th minute, reducing India to 10 players briefly, and Savita replaced the goalkeeper at the start of the second quarter. India doubled their lead in the 17th minute from a penalty corner routine when Navneet Kaur changed the angle and sent a low slap that found the backboard to make it 2-0. They earned another penalty corner in the 24th minute and extended the margin in the 25th when Deepika’s drag-flick took a deflection to Sushila Chanu, who finished to put India 3-0 ahead.
India continued to press after the interval, adding a fourth goal in the 38th minute following an exchange between Navneet and Baljeet that set up Deepika Soreng to control on her backhand and strike a tomahawk into the bottom far corner. The third quarter saw two goals in quick succession: Lalremsiami converted in the 44th minute after receiving an aerial ball from Neha and cutting onto her reverse, and in the 45th minute Sakshi Rana reacted to a rebound from Ishika’s effort that hit the post to drive a reverse shot into the top corner, making it 6-0.
South Africa reduced the deficit in the 55th minute when Kayla de Waal converted a penalty corner after a drag-flick from Pearce deflected off the first Indian rusher and de Waal reacted at the far post to score. India remained composed for the remainder of the game and closed out a 6-1 victory with six different scorers for the winning side.
The win gives India three points from the match and leaves them top of Pool D with four points from two games; China also have four points, England sit on three and South Africa are yet to open their points tally. India will conclude their Pool D campaign against England on 20 August.