India rout South Africa 6-1, the team that once denied them an Olympic berth

India's women's hockey team secured a decisive 6-1 victory over South Africa in a group match at the 2026 FIH World Cup, a result that reflects the significant improvement in Indian hockey since South Africa last denied them an Olympic berth in 2012. This win comes as India aims to advance to the next round of the tournament, with a crucial match against England on Thursday looming.

Prior to the game, India had already achieved notable success, reaching the semi-finals in the 2016 Rio Olympics and the quarter-finals in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, while South Africa had struggled, failing to qualify for London 2012 and finishing last in Rio. The match saw Sjoerd Marijne's Indian side gain an early advantage through Sunelita Toppo's goal, and they quickly expanded their lead with goals from Navneet Kaur, Sushila Chanu, Deepika, Lalremsiami, and Sakshi Rana.

Despite Kayla de Waal's consolation goal for South Africa late in the game, India maintained their dominance, ultimately securing a commanding 6-1 win.