Kakamigahara, Sept. 23 -- In-form drag-flicker Deepika Sehrawat continued her impressive run, scoring a record nine goals in a single match as India thrashed Thailand 20-1 to register their third consecutive victory in Pool B of the women's hockey competition at the Asian Games here on Wednesday.
Deepika (2nd, 8th, 9th, 24th, 33rd, 36th, 39th, 51st and 57th minutes) was unstoppable from penalty corners, converting all her nine attempts to script the record haul, while Navneet Kaur (4th, 29th, 35th and 51st) also ran riot in the one-sided contest.
Rutuja Dadaso Pisal (10th, 11th and 47th) completed a hat-trick, while Neha Goyal (19th), Lalremsiami (26th), Sakshi Rana (29th) and skipper Salima Tete (45th) joined the scoring as India piled on the goals. Thailand's consolation goal was scored from a penalty corner variation by Supansa Samanso (57th).
India will next play hosts Japan on Friday.
India are leading Pool B standings with three wins from as many matches ahead of Japan. The top teams from each pool will qualify for the semifinals of the 12-team competition.
India toyed with the Thai defence from the onset with Deepika at the forefront with her penalty corner conversions.
The Indians, who finished a historic fifth at the recent FIH World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium, continued from where they left in the first two matches.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.