Bhubaneswar: Hockey India congratulated midfielder Neha on completing 150 international caps when India took on the Netherlands in their second match of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 at the Kalinga Stadium here on Sunday.
Neha, the 27-year-old, made her debut in 2014 and has been part of the squad that won the gold in the 2016 South Asian Games that took place in Guwahati, India. She was also part of the Indian women’s hockey team when they struck gold at the 2017 Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Gifu, Japan where they beat China in the final.
The nimble midfielder played a significant role in the team that won the silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and was also a part of the squad that finished second in the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy at Donghae.
Neha represented India at the 2018 Women’s Hockey World Cup in London where the team finished eighth and was also in the team that finished fourth in the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.
Neha was also a part of the Indian women’s hockey team when they narrowly missed out on a medal as they finished fourth in the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Her contribution was crucial in India winning the Bronze medal at the 2022 Women’s Hockey Asia Cup held in Muscat, Oman. The 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England saw the Indian women’s hockey team finishing in third place after beating New Zealand in the bronze medal match and Neha was a part of the squad.
In December 2022, Neha was a part of the Indian women’s hockey team that beat the host nation Spain in the Women’s FIH Hockey Nations Cup final at Valencia to win the Gold medal. She was also a part of the squad that won the bronze medal in the Asian Games in Hangzhou which ended in October 2023. Winning the gold medal with the Indian women’s hockey team at the 2023 Women’s Asian Champions Trophy at Ranchi, Jharkhand was Neha’s most recent achievement.
When asked about the tremendous achievement, she said, “I am truly honoured that I have had the opportunity to represent the country in 150 matches. It has come with its fair share of challenges but I’m glad I have been able to push through it all. I owe a special thanks to my family, friends, teammates and support staff. They will always hold a special place in my heart for all the support they have given me over the years.”
Congratulating Neha on achieving this milestone, Hockey India President Dr. Dilip Tirkey said, “This is a huge achievement for Neha and we are extremely happy for and proud of her. Being able to sustain oneself for so long takes a different level of effort and commitment and I’m sure she’s only going to grow from strength to strength and continue to serve the Indian Women’s Hockey Team with unmatched dedication.”
–IANS