Berlin, the Indian women’s hockey team was relegated from the FIH Pro League after a 0-3 loss to China in its penultimate match, resulting in their placement at the bottom of the points table.
This defeat marked India’s seventh consecutive loss during their European leg, ensuring their position at the bottom, even with one match remaining against China on Sunday.
India sits last in the nine-team standings with 10 points from 15 games. A victory against China would only bring them to 12 points, not enough to avoid relegation.
As a result, India will be relegated to the FIH Nations Cup for the 2025-26 season. England is in seventh with 14 points, while Germany is just above India with 13 points.
In the penultimate match, China scored through Chen Yang, Zhang Ying, and Anhul Yu. Though India started brightly with multiple circle penetrations, they missed several opportunities, including penalty corners and a penalty stroke.
Veteran goalkeeper Savita made commendable saves, but China capitalized on its chances, with goals in the 21st and 26th minutes, and a field goal in the 45th minute.
Despite efforts in the third quarter and continuous pressure, India couldn’t catch up, culminating in a missed penalty stroke in the 55th minute, sealing their fate.