The Indian Women’s Hockey Team showcased resilience and fighting spirit but narrowly lost 2-3 against Australia A in their second match of the Australia tour at the Perth Hockey Stadium on Sunday.

India started the match on the front foot, displaying sharp intent and control in their attacking moves. Their early pressure paid dividends late in the first quarter when Jyoti Singh converted a penalty corner to hand India a deserved 1-0 lead.

However, Australia A responded strongly in the second quarter. Evie Stansby leveled the scores in the 17th minute, converting a penalty stroke after consistent pressure from the hosts. Despite India’s continued efforts to reclaim the lead, Australia A’s defense remained solid for the rest of the quarter.

The final quarter saw Australia A take control of the match. Dayle Dolkens found the back of the net in the 48th minute to push the hosts ahead, and just four minutes later, Jamie-Lee Surha extended the lead to 3-1, putting India under immense pressure.

Refusing to back down, India fought until the final moments. Sunelita Toppo scored in the 59th minute, giving India a glimmer of hope. However, Australia A managed to hold firm and secure a narrow victory.

The match result stood at Australia A 3 (Evie Stansby 17’, Dayle Dolkens 48’, Jamie-Lee Surha 52’) defeating India 2 (Jyoti Singh 13’, Sunelita Toppo 59’).

The Indian team will now shift focus to their next challenge as they prepare to face the senior Australia side in their third match of the tour on Thursday. The upcoming fixture presents another opportunity for the team to gain valuable experience and fine-tune their strategies ahead of future international competitions.