India, Aug. 28 -- India capped their Women's Hockey World Cup campaign with a memorable 3-1 victory over higher-ranked Germany in the fifth-place playoff on Thursday, securing their best finish at the tournament in 52 years.

The result marked a significant turnaround for the Indian team, which had gone through a difficult phase after failing to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics and being relegated from the FIH Pro League.

India had hoped to reach the semifinals but lost to Australia in the quarterfinals. They bounced back against Germany with a confident display to finish fifth and end their campaign on a positive note.

Strength and conditioning coach Dr Wayne Lombard said the result was a reflection of the team's transformation over...