India scored 11 goals with over a dozen different scorers; hat-trick for Beauty Dung Dung
The match was played at Gongshu Canal Sports Park Hockey Field, Hangzhou, China
The Women's Asia Cup 2025 also doubles as a qualifier for the FIH World Cup 2026
Two-time champions India began their Women's Asia Cup Hockey 2025 campaign with a sensational 11-0 thrashing of Thailand at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Hockey Field in Hangzhou, China, on Friday (September 5). Read the India vs Thailand match report.
The match was part of Pool B, and India took complete control from the start. Mumtaz Khan scored the opening goal in the sixth minute, followed by Sangita Kumari in the tenth. India added three more goals in the second quarter through Beauty Dung Dung, Lalremsiami, and Udita (penalty corner).
The third quarter was quieter, though, with Dung Dung scoring again from PC to make it 6-0. In the final quarter, India added five more goals through Mumtaz (PC), Udita (PC), Dung Dung (completing her hat-trick), Sharmila Devi (PC), and Rutuja Pisal.
India’s Dominance in Asia Cup History
Having won the title in 2004 and 2017, India have done relatively well in the Asia Cup. They finished third in the 2022 edition after defeating China in the playoff. Despite missing a few senior players due to injury, Harendra Singh's team in China is expected to perform well.
India's next match is against the three-time champions and holders, Japan, on September 6. Thailand will face South Korea, another three-time winners, on the same day in the early kickoff.
The Women's Asia Cup 2025 features eight teams divided into two pools. Pool A includes China, South Korea, Malaysia, and Chinese Taipei. Pool B includes India, Japan, Thailand, and Singapore.
Each team will play three group matches, and the top two advance to the Super 4s stage, which determines the finalists. The bottom two teams from each pool will head to the classification round for fifth to eighth place.
The Women's Asia Cup Hockey 2025 also serves as a qualifier for the FIH Women's Hockey World Cup 2026, to be hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands.
The winners of the Asia Cup qualify directly, while teams finishing second to fifth will enter the global qualifiers next year.
