A group of 20 Indian girls in Thailand, gave the country a late Women’s Day present as they won their very first international win.
Indian Women’s Ice Hockey team is participating in the IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia 2017. In a scintillating match, India beat Philippines 4-3 to register their first international win on 10 March.
The team faced many hurdles to get where they are, with funding being their biggest enemy. Lack of funds made it difficult for them to get good gear and and proper training. However, against all odds, they made a mark in the international arena.
The team made its debut in the 2016 Challenge of Asia, held in Chinese Taipei. The Challenge Cup was a new tournament which aimed to support Ice Hockey friendly countries in Asia. However, their debut performance did not go as planned.
Their win is special, not only because it is their first, but also because of all the hard work that has gone into making it an international level team. Many of these girls come from villages in Ladakh, with no access to any Ice Hockey training facility.
Since their first win on 10 March, India has lost matches to New Zealand (10-1) and Thailand (20-1) respectively. They are yet to play one last match against Malaysia on 15 March, which is when the tournament is set to conclude as well.
As Assistant Captain Tsewang Chuskit puts it, “this isn't just our victory. It belongs to all the Indians, especially the girls.”
Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam
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