India thrashed Sri Lanka 16-0 to start its campaign in emphatic fashion at the Junior Women’s Asia Cup hockey tournament here.
For India, as many as four players - Anupa Barla, Vandana Katariya, Poonam Rani and Ritu Rani - scored three goals each in the Group A match yesterday.
Navneet Kaur opened the floodgates with a field goal in the sixth minute before Anupa and Vandana added to the tally.
Vice-captain Poonam became the first Indian player to score off a penalty corner when she succeeded in the 17th minute before Lily Chanu Mayengbam made it 5-0 in the 22nd minute.
Poonam the scored off a penalty corner to go into the breather with a 6-0 lead.
The scenario was no different after the change of ends as India continued to put pressure on the hapless Lankans.
Vandana and Anupa scored their second goals within three minutes of resumption before Sushila Chanu and Poonam scored off penalty corner exercises.
Deep Ekka Grace converted a penalty stroke in the 44th minute to make it 11-0 in favour of the Indians.
India captain Ritu then scored three of the team’s final five goals while Vandana and Anupa completed their tally of three goals each in a match where the Indians forced as many as 15 penalty corners and converted five out of them.
In another Group A match, Malaysia beat Singapore 7-0 while Japan defeated Pakistan 17-0 in a Group B contest.
The top three teams in the tournament will qualify for the 2013 FIH Junior Women World Cup.
