India Women's Hockey Team Hammer Indonesia 17-1, Savita Punia Sets Appearance Record

India's women's hockey team continued its dominant start to the Asian Games 2026 with a 17-1 demolition of Indonesia on Monday, backing up their emphatic 19-0 win over Uzbekistan in the tournament opener and sending an early statement in their pursuit of gold.

The rout, played at a venue in Japan as part of India's Pool B campaign, saw three Indian players score hat-tricks. Drag-flick specialist Deepika Sehrawat converted three penalty corners to take her tournament tally to 11 goals in just two matches, after having scored eight goals in the opening rout of Uzbekistan. Forwards Rutuja Pisal and Navneet Kaur also found the net three times each, while Sunelita Toppo, Lalremsiami and Sakshi Rana chipped in with two goals apiece. Skipper Salima Tete and Ishika Chaudhary added one goal each, with Indonesia's lone reply coming from a penalty corner conversion in the second half.

A Statement Of Attacking Depth

India built a commanding 9-0 lead by half-time before continuing to pile on goals after the break, with the spread of scorers across the match underlining the depth of the squad's attacking options heading into the knockout stages. Seven of India's goals came from set-piece penalty corners and ten from open play, reflecting a team that is dangerous both in structured situations and in transition.

With two wins from two matches, India sit atop Pool B having scored 36 goals and conceded just once, a goal difference of plus-35 that leaves little doubt about their status as one of the tournament's frontrunners. A gold medal in the competition would carry added significance beyond the podium, since it comes with direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Savita Punia's Milestone

The match also produced a personal landmark for India's veteran goalkeeper Savita Punia, who made her 321st appearance for the national team, surpassing Vandana Katariya to become the most-capped player in the history of Indian women's hockey. The milestone caps a career in which Punia has been a fixture between the posts through multiple Olympic cycles and continental tournaments.

India will take a rest day on Tuesday after their second successive high-scoring win before returning to action against Thailand on Wednesday, as they continue their push through the group stage toward the medal rounds.

The result added to a productive stretch for India across the Games, with the team's performances in hockey coming alongside strong showings from Indian contingents in badminton, shooting and other disciplines as the country looks to build on its medal tally through the opening days of competition.

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