Panchkula, March 13 (H.S): In the final of the 15th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2025, Hockey Jharkhand defeated the reigning champions Hockey Haryana 4-3 in an exciting match to claim the title. The match remained tied at 1-1 until the regulation time, after which Jharkhand secured victory in the penalty shootout. Promodni Lakra (44′) scored for Hockey Jharkhand, while captain Rani (42′) netted a goal for Hockey Haryana.
Right from the start of the match, a tough contest was seen between both teams. Hockey Haryana maintained control of the ball in the initial minutes, but Hockey Jharkhand also created several good opportunities. Jharkhand was awarded a penalty corner in the first quarter, but they failed to convert it into a goal. Both teams received one penalty corner in the second quarter, but neither was able to score by halftime.
The excitement increased in the third quarter as both teams managed to score. In the 42nd minute, Hockey Haryana received a penalty corner, which captain Rani converted into a goal with a brilliant shot. However, just two minutes later, Hockey Jharkhand retaliated, as Promodani Lakra took advantage of a defensive error and scored a spectacular field goal.
In the final quarter, both teams displayed aggressive play in search of a winning goal. In the 51st minute, Haryana’s Rani had a great opportunity inside the D, but her shot went over the goalpost. Neither team was able to score a winning goal in the regulation time, leading the match to a penalty shootout.
In the penalty shootout, Hockey Jharkhand triumphed with a score of 4-3. Jharkhand’s Rajni Kerketta, Nirali Kujur, Binima Dhan, and captain Alebela Rani Toppo converted their attempts into goals. For Haryana, Pinky, Annu, and Manisha found the net in the shootout, but Jharkhand’s goalkeeper Anjali Bhinjia made two crucial saves, ensuring her team emerged as champions.
In the match for third place, Hockey Mizoram defeated Hockey Maharashtra 2-1 to claim the bronze medal. Devika Sen (6′) scored the first goal for Hockey Mizoram, giving her team the lead in the match. However, Ashwini Kolekar of Hockey Maharashtra equalized. But in the final moments, Manju Chaurasia from Hockey Mizoram scored the decisive field goal in the 59th minute, securing victory for her team and the bronze medal.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
