Historic 5th place: Hockey India rewards women's team with Rs 50 lakh

Hockey India announced a Rs 50 lakh cash prize for the Indian Women's Hockey Team for their historic fifth-place finish at the FIH World Cup. This is India's best result since 1974, achieved after a 3-1 win over Germany in a classification match.

Hockey India on Friday announced a cash award of Rs 50 lakh for the Indian Women's Hockey Team in recognition of their historic fifth-place finish at the FIH Hockey Women's World Cup, Belgium and Netherlands 2026. Salima Tete's side sealed the milestone with a 3-1 win over World No. 5 Germany in the 5th/6th place classification match in Amstelveen on Thursday, marking India's best result at the tournament since they finished fourth at the inaugural edition in 1974, according to Hockey India, according to a Hockey India.

The team went through the campaign with just one defeat, holding higher-ranked sides China, England and Australia to draws and recording a 6-1 win over South Africa, before completing their run under Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne with the win over Germany.

'A Testament to Hard Work and Resilience'

Congratulating the team on the achievement, Hockey India President Padma Dilip Tirkey said, "This is a historic result for Indian women's hockey. To finish fifth at a World Cup after 52 years is a testament to the hard work, resilience and fighting spirit this team has shown throughout the tournament. On behalf of Hockey India, I am pleased to announce a cash award of Rs 50 lakh for the team as a token of our appreciation, and I hope this inspires the players to keep raising the bar."

Reflecting the President's sentiments, Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh said, "Salima and her team have done the country proud with a campaign that saw them compete with, and hold their own against, some of the best sides in the world. This announcement is our way of recognising their commitment and hard work, and we hope it further motivates the team as they turn their focus towards the Asian Games."

Match Recap: India vs Germany

India entered the 5th/6th place classification match after losing only one game in the tournament, to the Netherlands. They also managed draws against higher-ranked teams, China, Australia and England.

Germany dominated large parts of the first half, keeping India's attacking unit under pressure. Both teams failed to break the deadlock in the opening two quarters, with Germany creating more chances and earning penalty corners, but India's goalkeeper Bichu Devi and the defence stood firm.

Second-Half Surge Secures Victory

India showed greater attacking intent after the half-time break and turned the match around with a brilliant display in the third quarter. Ishika Chaudhary opened the scoring in the 43rd minute with a superb reverse-lift finish after making a strong run into the circle.

India soon doubled their lead when they earned their first penalty corner of the match. Navneet Kaur converted the opportunity in the 44th minute to make it 2-0.

Navneet continued her impressive performance and scored her second goal in the 47th minute, calmly lifting the ball past the goalkeeper to give India a three-goal cushion.

Germany reduced the deficit through Lynn Krings in the 59th minute after converting a rebound, but India held their nerve in the final moments to secure a 3-1 victory. Goalkeeper Savita Punia also played a crucial role, making important saves, including a penalty corner stop in the final quarter, to help India close out the match. (ANI)

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