Ananya Lohia , New Zealand - The Indian women's hockey team clinched the FIH Nations Cup title after defeating New Zealand 2-0 in the final on Sunday, securing promotion to the FIH Pro League.

India made a strong start as Navneet Kaur opened the scoring through a penalty corner in the fourth minute. The team continued to press forward and doubled the lead in the 15th minute when Sunelita Toppo expertly deflected a drag flick from Deepika. New Zealand tried to fight back, but India's defence remained solid throughout the match.

Goalkeeper Savita also played a crucial role, making an important save from the team's only penalty-corner concession in the final quarter. India remained unbeaten in the tournament, registering wins over the USA, Japan and Uruguay in the group stage before thrashing Chile 6-0 in the semi-final.

The victory marks India's second FIH Nations Cup title after their triumph in 2022 and ensures their return to the FIH Pro League. The win also marks a major achievement for coach Sjoerd Marijne in his second stint with the team.