It has been a story of underdogs all the way for the Indian women's hockey team, be it cinema or real life. Screen idol Shah Rukh Khan showed us in his Bollywood film 'Chak De! India' how a team of amateur women can be trained to face their most formidable rivals in an international final. The same has come true for our real women's hockey team, who routed China in the Women's Asia Cup 2017.
On Sunday, 5 November, Indian Women's Hockey team clinched the victory in 2017 Women's Asia Cup, defeating China in the finals. In 2004, the Indian women's hockey team won their first-ever gold medal in this tournament against Japan at New Delhi. After 13 years, once again they received the opportunity to lift the Women's Asia Cup.
Both the teams battled till a sudden death, where India beat China scoring 5-4 in a penalty shootout at Kakamigahara Kawasaki Stadium in Japan.
India missed the opportunity to qualify for 2014 Netherlands world cup, but this time being a continental champion India qualified, it received a berth for 2018 Women's World Cup in London.
While the Indian goalkeeper Savita showed her best performance during the tensed shootout and achieved 'Goalkeeper of the Tournament' title, it was the Indian skipper Rani Rampal who scored the winning goal for India, ensuring that the national women's hockey team will be participating in 2018 World Cup.
