India 13-0 Namibia Highlights, FIH Junior Women's Hockey World Cup: IND-W Colts Start Campaign With Rout

Greetings and welcome to everyone joining us this Monday for some more hockey action. The FIH Junior Women's World Cup is underway and India face Namibia today in their campaign opener. Stay with us for the build-up and live updates.

Pushback is at 7:45pm IST. The India vs Namibia, FIH Junior Women's Hockey World Cup match will be live streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India. It will be telecast on the Star Sports Network TV channels in the country.

Goalkeepers: Nidhi, Engil Harsha Rani Minz

Defenders: Manisha, Lalthanlualangi, Sakshi Shukla, Puja Sahoo, Nandini

Midfielders: Sakshi Rana, Ishika, Sunelita Toppo, Jyoti Singh (captain), Khaidem Shileima Chanu, Binima Dhan

Forwards: Sonam, Purnima Yadav, Kanika Siwach, Hina Bano, Sukhveer Kaur

Alternates: Priyanka Yadav, Parwati Topno

Here is India's line-up for the campaign opener against Namibia:

Even as the junior team is about to kick-start its WC campaign, the Indian senior women's hockey team’s chief coach Harendra Singh has decided to resign from the role, citing personal reasons. Harendra, who previously coached the United States men's hockey team, had assumed the post of India chief coach in April 2024.

The match commences in Santiago. India colts attacking from left to right and Namibia the other way in the first half. India begin positively, as expected, and are no doubt eyeing a rich haul of goals today.

India open their account in the 10th minute! Sakshi Rana comes up with a superb reverse flick to beat the Namibia goalie and draw first blood.

Two goals in two minutes for India! Kanika Siwach with the strike this time, and the floodgates have no doubt opened now.

The onslaught continues. Binima Dhan scores the third goal in the 14th minute and Sonam makes it 4-0, 30 seconds later. This is going to be a challenging outing for Namibia.

Namibia manage to keep India at bay for seven-odd minutes in the second quarter, before Sakshi absolutely drills one in from the edge of the circle. She nets her second, and India get their fifth goal in what is clearly a mismatch.

India convert a penalty corner for their sixth goal. Sakshi Shukla it is, with a clinical drag-flick that outwits the Namibia defence in the 27th minute.

Kanika Siwach, who has just returned from her green-card suspension, nets her second goal at the stroke of half-time. India go into the long break with a resounding 7-0 advantage, knowing that they have many more goals up their sleeves.

The players return to the pitch and India get the second half underway. Jyoti Singh and Co attacking from right to left now, and would no doubt be be looking to win this game by a double-digit margin.

An absolute torrent of goals by India in the third quarter. Hina Bano scores twice in a matter of seconds in the 35th minute, and Ishika nets India's 10th in the 36th. Namibia stave off a couple of penalty corners post that, and erupt in a mini celebration. Small mercies.

Hina Bano completes her hat-trick, scoring in the 45th minute. Kanika gets to her hat-trick soon after, netting seconds after Hina. India almost get a 13th goal early in the fourth quarter, but it is overturned upon review.

After a lengthy period of resistance from Namibia, India break through for the 13th time. Manisha opens her account, seconds before the final hooter will go off.

And that's that. India end up with a 13-0 scoreline in their World Cup opener against Namibia. It was expected to be a one-sided affair, and turned out to be exactly that. Lots to learn for the Namibians, however.

The day before, India's men's junior team had routed Oman 17-0 in Chennai. Such results are commonplace in the group stages of hockey World Cups, as teams drastically different in rankings and pedigree rub shoulders on the big stage.