Kakamigahara : Indian women’s team made a thunderous start to their Asian Games 2026 campaign, overwhelming Uzbekistan 19-0 in their opening Pool B encounter in Kakamigahara on Saturday. The victory was headlined by a remarkable eight-goal outing from penalty-corner specialist Deepika, while Ishika completed a hat-trick as India produced an attacking masterclass from start to finish. Eight different Indian players found the net in a dominant display, as the match also saw veteran goalkeeper Savita reach a significant personal milestone.
With the game being played almost entirely inside the Uzbekistan half, India took just seven minutes to open the scoring. Lalremsiami finished India’s early pressure with a field goal in the 7th minute, one minute after Navneet Kaur’s first attempt had struck the goalkeeper’s pads. Deepika doubled the advantage in the following minute, finding the net from open play.
Ishika added India’s third in the 11th minute before Baljeet Kaur made it 4-0 a minute later, playing her 50th senior international match. India continued to dictate proceedings and carried their four-goal advantage into the first-quarter break.
The relentless pressure continued in the second quarter. Neha scored from field play in the 18th minute before India earned a penalty corner in the 22nd minute. Deepika made no mistake, converting the opportunity to register her second goal of the contest.
Navneet joined the scoring in the 23rd minute, and Deepika was on target again from a penalty corner two minutes later as India established an imposing 8-0 lead at half-time.
There was no let-up after the interval. Deepika took centre stage once again, scoring four successive goals between the 33rd and 41st minutes, all of which came from penalty corners, to take her tally to seven. Ishika then scored her second in the 42nd minute before Lalthantluangi and Sakshi Rana found the net in the 43rd minute. Navneet completed her brace just before the third-quarter hooter, taking India’s tally to 16-0.
India maintained their attacking intensity in the final quarter. Lalthantluangi converted a penalty stroke India were awarded in the 51st minute, while Ishika completed her hat-trick in the 54th minute. Deepika then put the finishing touch on an extraordinary individual performance, scoring her eighth goal with a field strike in the same minute to make it 19-0.
The match was equally special for goalkeeper Savita, who completed 320 senior international appearances, drawing level with former India striker Vandana Katariya for the most caps by an Indian woman hockey player.
India will next face Indonesia on Sunday, carrying the momentum of a dominant opening performance into their second Pool B fixture.
