India look to continue winning run vs Malaysia in women’s Jr Asia Cup

Kakamigahara (Japan): A resounding start to its campaign, notwithstanding, the Indian women’s hockey team will look to guard against complacency when it takes on Malaysia in its second Pool A match of the Junior Asia Cup here on Monday.

The Indian women started their Junior Asia Cup sojourn with a morale-boosting 22-0 crushing of a lowly Uzbekistan.

As many as eight players — Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Mumtaz Khan, Annu, Sunelita Toppo, Manju Chorsiya, Deepika Soreng, Deepika and Neelam, registered their names on the scoresheet as India ticked all the boxes against Uzbekistan.

Annu slammed a double hat-trick, while Mumtaz Khan and Deepika fired in four goals each. Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Sunelita Toppo and Deepkia Soreng found the net twice in India’s tournament opener.

And come Monday, India will look to carry on their superlative form against Malaysia.

India captain Preeti said they would look to carry on their form in the remaining matches of the tournament.

“We’ve had a fantastic start to the tournament, establishing a strong foundation, and our aim is to maintain that same level of determination as we face Malaysia,” she said in a release.