From World Cup to junior league, Haryana leads women’s hockey

Haryana has emerged as the new centre of power in Indian women’s hockey. The girls from Haryana are not only making waves at the international level — with the Indian team, which comprised 35 percent Haryana players, achieving a best-ever fifth-place finish at the World Cup — but they are also dominating the junior circuit at the national level.

Recently, Haryana became the champion of the 16th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship in Pune. In fact, the Haryana team got sweet revenge for last year’s final defeat, beating defending champions Jharkhand 2-1 in the final. Haryana had lost to Jharkhand by the same scoreline in last year’s final at Kakinada.

Haryana coach Azad Singh Malik said the state had won the national title after a gap of three years. Haryana had also won the championship in 2021 and 2022. In the previous three editions, the team had finished runners-up once and third twice. orlando-books.blog

The Haryana team had remained unbeaten throughout the junior national championship that concluded last week. The team opened its campaign with a 10-1 win over Bengal and followed it with a 3-0 victory over Odisha. In the quarter-final, Haryana defeated Chandigarh 3-1 before cruising to an 8-0 victory over Chhattisgarh in the semi-final.

In the final, Jharkhand took the lead through Mundri Saroj in the 19th minute. Haryana equalised when Bhavya converted a penalty corner in the 23rd minute. Khushi then scored in the 42nd minute to put Haryana ahead and seal the title, Malik said.

The coach said the team had steadily emerged as a strong force at the national level and the current squad had proved its mettle in a tournament featuring several promising young players. Bhavya was named the Player of the Tournament, while Supreet was adjudged the Best Forward.

The Haryana team comprised Ishika, Bhavya, Jasmine, Tamanna, Sakshi and Khushi from Sonepat; Deepika, Himanshi, Kirti, Aditi, Anjali, Diksha, Shashi Khasa, Durga and Vanshishika from Hisar; and Anjani and Sukhpreet Kaur from Kurukshetra.

Importantly, most of these players are from the rural background belonging to families of farming and working classes.

The title assumed significance as the Haryana women’s hockey team has achieved it despite the lack of adequate facilities, including qualified coaches and infrastructure at the grassroots level, say hockey lovers.

The performance of the players from Haryana indicated the potential to play an important role in taking the national team to the top at the international level, including the World Cup and the Olympics, they maintained.

Within the state of Haryana, the women hockey has expanded to Sonepat and Hisar, in addition to its traditional centre, Shahbad, in the Kurukshetra district in recent years. A majority of the players in the present junior team are from these three districts, which include eight players from Sonepat and several others from Hisar and Kurukshetra.

Former Indian captain and coach Pritam Siwach, who trains young players at her academy in Sonepat, said the achievements of Haryana’s hockey players had been overshadowed by the popularity of other sports and needed greater promotion.

She said the current junior squad from Haryana had several players who could soon make debut in the senior Indian team.

“About five or six players are expected to make their transition in the Indian team next year, while some of the younger players also have the potential to make it later on,” she said. The players with the national team potential are Bhavya, Ishika, Khushi, Tamanna, Shashi and Supreet.

Siwach said the players were now receiving support from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in Sonepat and increasing competition had contributed to the emergence of a stronger pool of players. However, she said the lack of grassroots facilities, particularly qualified coaches in the districts and astroturfs, could further harness the Haryana’s potential.

The success of Haryana’s junior team comes in the backdrop of best ever performance of the Indian team in the women hockey world cup with fifth position recently. The Hockey India has announced a reward of Rs 50 lakh to the Indian women’s hockey team for the same.

Notably, as many as seven of the 20 players in the Indian squad for the Asian Games are from Haryana, accounting for 35 per cent of the team which has headed to Japan including goalkeeper Savita Punia from Sirsa; defenders Jyoti and Shilpi Dabas from Shahbad in Kurukshetra; midfielders Sakshi Rana and Neha Goyal from Sonepat; and forwards Navneet Kaur from Shahbad and Deepika from Hisar.

Azad Singh Malik said Savita Punia, a resident of Jodhkan village in Sirsa district, remained an important part of the Indian side. Punia, who has been known as the ‘Wall of India’ for her performances as a goalkeeper, has spent her crucial years of training in Haryana and remains an important player for the national team. She was recently awarded the Padma Shri for her contribution to Indian hockey.

Youngest Player To Score Hundred in T20I: नामीबिया में खेली जा रही ट्राई नेशन सीरीज के छठे मुकाबले में साउथ अफ्रीका के लुआन-ड्रे प्रीटोरियस ने शतक जड़कर टी20 क्रिकेट का इतिहास बदल दिया। वह टी20 इंटरनेशनल में सबसे कम उम्र में शतक जड़ने वाले बल्लेबाज बन गए। प्रीटोरियस ने 53 गेंद में 101 रन की पारी खेली, जिसमें 8 छक्के और पांच चौके शामिल थे। इस दौरान साउथ अफ्रीका ने 20 ओवर में 4 विकेट गंवाकर 228 रन बनाए और नामीबिया की टीम सिर्फ 217 रन बना सकी और 11 रन से मुकाबला हार गई।

Flushing Meadows is famous for its electric atmosphere, but the 2026 U.S. Open has pushed the boundaries of crowd noise into a full-blown cultural clash. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has made a strategic push to diversify its audience by accrediting approximately 100 social media influencers and content creators, doubling last year’s number. While this may seem like a positive way to attract more eyeballs and welcome new audiences, the digital expansion has backfired in the stands, sparking a fierce debate over basic tennis etiquette and respect for athletes.

The tension boiled over on Monday night during Naomi Osaka’s first-round victory over Anastasia Zakharova at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the tournament’s biggest venue. In the middle of a crucial point, chair umpire Kader Nouni was forced to stop play and reprimand a group of creators occupying a luxury hospitality suite. The disruption quickly went viral, as a group of influencers were seen walking around with ring lights and staging a full-scale photo shoot just as Osaka was preparing to serve — a direct violation of the sport’s strict lighting rules.

While the strategic move to invite 100 influencers and content creators has attracted Gen Z audiences, promoted the tournament’s food and lifestyle offerings, and expanded its overall global digital footprint, it has also distracted players mid-serve, violated rules around silence during play and exposed athletes to intense flashes across the stadium. Additionally, this behaviour has drawn sharp criticism from some of the tournament’s top competitors, who emphasised that disruptions on court can directly affect their performance and livelihoods.

The two-time U.S. champion Osaka addressed the issue, emphasising that the sport must be respected. She noted that while influencers can help popularise tennis globally, the situation needs to be managed better.

As reported by the BBC, Osaka stated: “Today the umpire told everyone to be quiet more than I’ve ever heard an umpire tell a crowd to be quiet. I tell people I normally just focus on the match on the court, but there was a moment where there were people shouting and you could hear it quite clearly. I think it bothered my opponent too.”

Furthermore, world No. 3 Jessica Pegula acknowledged the value of promoting the tournament’s lifestyle elements, such as its food and the bodega, but called the mid-point antics disrespectful to players and their careers. “People are down there trying to perform, and it’s their career and their job,” Pegula said after winning her second-round match Wednesday. “And it seems a bit disrespectful. I think I can appreciate the influencers coming and kind of showcasing the US Open experience. I think that’s something that the US Open has utilized a lot as far as food and drinks and things to do and the shops. That part is part of a fan experience and something that people might not know and make them want to go.”

During Osaka’s first-round match on Tuesday, a group of influencers were seen speaking loudly while filming themselves, prompting the chair umpire to call on them to stop.

“I think obviously if you come to a sporting event, you have to respect the sport,” Osaka further said. “I feel like it’s common courtesy to read up on the sport, especially the etiquette. It could be a good thing for people to make the sport of tennis popular to their specific audience, but I think it has to be managed a lot better, especially in a situation like my first-round match. Overall, I think there are huge positives. You want people to continue to grow the sport. I just think it has to be in a way that everyone knows the rules and the etiquette.”

Surprisingly, the U.S. Open is not alone in trying to bring sports closer to younger audiences.

From athletes becoming content creators to major sporting events embracing influencers, celebrities and lifestyle content, the lines between sport and entertainment are becoming increasingly blurred.

As more major sporting events open their doors to creators, one question remains: where does sport draw the line between making the game more accessible and protecting the etiquette of the game itself?

The post U.S. Open opens its doors to influencers, but at what cost to tennis etiquette? appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.

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India all-rounder Deepti Sharma has acknowledged her team’s strong record against Pakistan ahead of their ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 clash later today. The Indians have won 14 of their 17 T20I meetings against Pakistan, and Deepti believes that record gives her side an edge.

India have already secured a place in the semifinals with a game to spare. They will now look to finish the league stage unbeaten, while Pakistan will be hoping to strengthen their chances of reaching the last four.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Deepti said India’s record against Pakistan was a sign of their consistency, but she did not want her team to take anything for granted.

“Look, there is no advantage as such. The only thing is that whatever we have won against them (Pakistan), whether it is the Asia Cup or any other matches, we are always one step ahead of them. And that’s it,” Deepti said.

The 29-year-old also pointed to the balance in India’s squad. She said the team’s batting and bowling units have both contributed well in the tournament and that players need to step up when their opportunity comes.

“The whole team is performing well. If you look at the bowling unit or the batting unit, I think both things are balanced. The one who has a good day, she tries to do better and take the game further. And those around her, they try to stay positive things so that they step in more in their game,” she said.

Deepti has also been among India’s key performers with the ball, taking six wickets in the tournament’s opening two matches. Her form will be important as India prepare for another high-profile game against Pakistan.

Also Read: India vs Pakistan, ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Preview: When and where to watch?

Despite India’s advantage on paper, Deepti said the team would not be distracted by Pakistan’s bowling attack. Instead, the focus would remain on playing to their own strengths and maintaining the same approach that has worked so far.

“Look, our team is also good and their bowlers are also good. We know that. But we focus more on the strengths we have. And as I said, we want to play a good brand of cricket. That’s what we are focusing on,” she said.

“We just want to play good cricket. As a bowling unit, as a batting unit, the team should be as compact as we are playing in two games. That’s the mindset,” Deepti added.

The India vs Pakistan match will start from 8:00PM (IST) onwards at the Dubai International Stadium.