India, Aug. 29 -- For the Indian women's hockey team, finishing fifth at the World Cup marks their best result in 52 years. Yet, beyond the pride of the campaign, a hunger lingers.

Though the squad lost only one match throughout the tournament against Netherlands, the 0-0 draw against Australia is still what pinches them. For veteran goalkeeper Savita Punia, the campaign was a testament to how far the team has evolved, shifting from a mindset of survival.

"We came here thinking that we have to do something in the World Cup, and that meant our team was capable enough to finish on the podium," Savita told HT from Amsterdam before boarding the flight to Bengaluru.

"There was a time when we used to focus on conceding the least amount of go...