Women’s hockey team lose 0-1 to Kiwis in Hawke’s Bay Cup

The Indian women’s hockey team went down 0-1 to New Zealand in the opening match of the Hawke’s Bay Cup, where forward Poonam Rani achieved the distinction of playing 150 games for the country.

India walked away from the first quarter with a clean sheet courtesy a smart save from goalkeeper Savita off a penalty stroke. But New Zealand took the lead through an Olivia Merry field goal at the start of the second quarter.

India’s coach Neil Hawgood applauded his goalkeeper’s performance sayin g, “In such pressure games, against higher ranked opponents, who also happen to be the hosts, it is important that your goalkeepers have a world -class game.”