New Delhi, 01 October (H.S.):

The Indian women’s hockey team will face defending champions China in the Asian Games gold-medal match on Friday, with India aiming to end a 44-year wait for the women’s hockey title and secure qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

India won the women’s hockey gold medal at the Asian Games for the first and, so far, only time in 1982. Since then, the team has reached the final twice—in 1998 and 2018—but had to settle for silver on both occasions. India lost the 1998 final to South Korea and the 2018 final to Japan. The current generation of Indian players will now take the field determined to end the long wait for another Asian Games gold.

India have enjoyed an impressive campaign in 2026. The team won the FIH Nations Cup earlier this year and recorded its best World Cup finish in 52 years, securing fifth place at the FIH World Cup held in Belgium and the Netherlands. During the World Cup, India held world No. 4 China to a goalless draw in Amsterdam.

That result will provide India with confidence ahead of Friday’s final. Both teams remain unbeaten in the tournament and finished at the top of their respective pools after winning all their matches. However, both sides faced stern challenges in the semi-finals.

Defending champions China were held goalless by hosts Japan in the first semi-final, with the match ending 0-0 in regulation time. China subsequently prevailed 4-2 in the shootout to book its place in the final.

India also faced a difficult test against South Korea. The Korean defence kept India’s attackers at bay for a considerable period before Ishika broke the deadlock late in the third quarter. Captain Salima Tete then scored India’s second goal in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

Following the semi-final win over South Korea, India head coach Sjoerd Marijne said maintaining composure and patience had been crucial to the team’s performance.

“It was really important for us to stay calm and maintain our patience, and I think we did that very well,” Marijne said.

Looking ahead to the final against China, Marijne said the team was confident but fully aware of the quality and experience of its opponents.

“We have confidence, but we also understand that China are a very good team. They are still the world No. 4 team. We performed better than them at the World Cup, but they still have a lot of experience,” he said. He added that the team had identified areas for improvement from the semi-final and would carry that focus into the title clash.

India’s campaign has been marked by a solid defensive structure and attacking variety. Goalkeepers Savita and Bichu Devi have produced strong performances, while the team has shown the ability to score through both penalty corners and open play.

Deepika is the tournament’s leading scorer with 21 goals from six matches, including 19 from penalty corners. Navneet has scored 10 goals, seven of them from open play.

China also possess a potent attacking unit. Zhong Jiaqi is her team’s leading scorer with nine goals, while Chen Yi and Zhang Ying have contributed seven goals each.

The final will present a different challenge, with the stakes extending beyond the Asian Games title. The team that wins the women’s hockey gold medal will also earn qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

With both sides unbeaten, composure under pressure and the ability to capitalise on decisive opportunities could prove crucial. After a 44-year wait, India’s women’s hockey team is now just one victory away from reclaiming the Asian Games crown.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar