Hockey India Announces Women's Squad for FIH Nations Cup 2025
Hockey India revealed the women's squad for the upcoming FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup on Tuesday. The tournament is scheduled to take place in Auckland, New Zealand, from June 15 to June 21, 2025. Salima Tete will continue to lead the side as captain, as India aims to build on the momentum gained from recent tours of Argentina and Australia.
Key Players and Squad Composition
The squad includes experienced goalkeepers Savita and Bichu Devi Kharibam, who have been retained between the posts. The defense line is headed by senior campaigners such as Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Nikki Pradhan, Ishika Chaudhary, and Jyoti. Lalthantluangi and Shilpi Dabas, who made their senior debuts during the Australia tour, have also been included and will look to establish themselves at the international level.
Navneet Kaur will lead the attack and is expected to continue her impressive goalscoring form from recent international matches. She is supported by seasoned attacking midfielders Lalremsiami and Sonam, who add experience and versatility to the forward line.
Tournament Structure and Pool Assignments
India has been placed in Pool A alongside Japan, the United States, and Uruguay. Pool B consists of hosts New Zealand, Chile, Korea, and France. India will begin their Nations Cup campaign against the United States on June 15, followed by a match against Japan on June 16. They will conclude the pool stage with a game against Uruguay on June 18. The semi-finals are scheduled for June 20, with the final taking place on June 21.
Preparation and Coach's Remarks
India enters the tournament following a four-match friendly series against Australia in Perth, where they achieved a commendable 2-2 aggregate result. Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne emphasized the importance of the team's preparations for the upcoming FIH World Cup and Asian Games. He stated, "The Nations Cup is an important tournament for us. We want to go there and play with ambition to set a standard for ourselves that we can build on. We have built on those aspects in the Argentina and Australia tours, which gave us good preparation as a team. The squad is motivated and ready for the challenge."
Regarding squad selection, Marijne added, "We have named a squad that has the right balance of experience and hunger. Players like Savita, Sushila, Nikki, and Navneet have been in big tournaments before and know what it takes to perform under pressure. I am looking forward to seeing how this group comes together in Auckland."
Full Squad for FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup 2025-26
- Goalkeepers: Savita, Bichu Devi Kharibam
- Defenders: Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Ishika Chaudhary, Lalthantluangi, Shilpi Dabas, Jyoti, Nikki Pradhan
- Midfielders: Salima Tete (c), Neha, Sunelita Toppo, Sakshi Rana, Deepika Soreng, Sonam, Lalremsiami
- Forwards: Navneet Kaur, Deepika, Rutuja Dadaso Pisal, Ishika, Annu
