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India are through to the second round of the FIH Women's Hockey World Cup 2026, after a 0-0 draw in the final Pool D game against England, which was enough to see them finish second in the pool, behind China.
India came into the game knowing a draw would take them through but didn't play like a side that were playing for the draw. They won three penalty corners in the first quarter but couldn't convert any of them and had a few other chances for field goals as well, but neither Ishika nor Salima Tete could convert those, according to ESPN. As the game wore on, England kept fighting and strengthening their foothold in the game. After an even second quarter, England completely took over in the third. Just like in their opening game against China, India just couldn't keep possession, and England kept winning penalty corners after penalty corner, but India kept standing firm in defence. Salima's first-rushing was outstanding, Sakshi Rana had to make a save off the line, Savita Punia saved everything that came her way, and heading into the final quarter, India just needed to produce 15 minutes of clean hockey to go through to the next round. It wasn't clean, but it was dogged, it was resilient, and it was a team that just didn't give up. England kept flying at India, in a wave after wave of attack, and for the last five minutes, did so with an additional outfield player after taking their goalkeeper off. But nothing would get past that Indian defence, and when something did, India had Bichu Devi. With just a few seconds remaining, a superb shot from Tessa Howard was flying into the corner, but Bichu flung herself to the left, parried the ball away, and sparked big celebrations in the India camp. "Today, we defended really well as a team. England are a very good team. But we did not stop fighting till the last minute," skipper Salima said after the game, as per ESPN. India next faces the Netherlands in the first match of the second pool phase on Friday evening. (ANI)
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