India maul Uzbekistan 19-0 in Asiad women’s hockey, Deepika Sehrawat scores eight goals

Young striker Deepika Sehrawat slammed in a record-shattering eight goals as the Indian women’s hockey team hammered lowly Uzbekistan 19-0 in its opening Pool B match to make a flying start at the Asian Games, here on Sunday.

It was expected to be a one-sided affair and it turned out exactly that way as Uzbekistan defence had no answer to India’s relentless attacks.

The gulf between the two sides was evident throughout and it rained goals from India, with the 22-year-old Deepika leading the way by striking in the 8th, 22nd, 25th, 33rd, 36th, 38th, and 41st, 54th minutes. This was the best performance by an Indian woman player in a single Asian Games match. The rising drag-flick specialist has been in good form since coming back from injuries earlier this year.

Midfielder Ishika Chaudhary (11th, 42nd, 54th), Lalremsiami (7th), Baljeet Kaur (12th), Neha (18th), Navneet Kaur (23rd, 45th), Lalthantluangi (43rd, 51st), and Sakshi Rana (43rd) were the other goal-getters in the lopsided contest.

India will play Indonesia in their next match on Monday.

India, who are the second highest-ranked side in the competition, toyed with the Uzbek defence to pump in as many as eight goals in the first half.

It all began when Lalremsiami scored a field goal from close range before doubling the lead a minute later.

Ishika then found the net with a brilliant first-time finish from the left of the circle after being played in by Sunelita Toppo. A minute later, Baljeet made it 4-0 before Neha registered her name on the score sheet with another field goal.

Deepika then scored her second with a powerful drag-flick to the bottom right corner from a penalty corner to make the scoreline 6-0.