The Women’s Hockey India League 2025-26, on Sunday, made a return. Under the colourful laser lights of the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Astro Turf Stadium in Ranchi, the second season of the four-team tournament kicked off with Bollywood glamour and competitive hockey action.
The opening ceremony started with a laser show that turned the stadium into a canvas of light. The captains of all four franchises, the President of Hockey India, Dilip Tirkey and Secretary General, Bholanath Singh unveiled the Women HIL trophy.
Adding to that, Bollywood actress and former Miss World Manushi Chhillar delivered a high energy dance performance setting the hockey turf ablaze, which saw passionate Ranchi fans cheering and dancing with excitement.
The festivities concluded with a spectacular display of fireworks lighting the Ranchi sky. The opening clash saw the home crowd favourites, Ranchi Royals take on the SG Pipers. Royals replaced previous edition champion Odisha Warriors in the league after they pulled out. While the local crowd was standing behind the Royals with the loudest roar, it was the Pipers who eventually silenced the stadium with a 2-0 victory. Pipers’ Navneet Kaur (28’) and Teresa Vianna (46’) netted the goal to begin the campaign on a high note.
The first quarter was tight with both teams showing incredible defensive skill, refusing any chance of goal. Royals’ Hannah Cotter and Alonso Augustina looked dangerous on the left flank and tried to create a few chances, but failed to convert. Meanwhile, the Pipers’ experienced duo of Navneet and Deepika Sehrawat kept the home side’s defence busy with frequent circle entries.
The momentum shifted in the second quarter when Rutuja Pisal earned the first penalty corner of the match for Royals, but the Pipers’ custodian stopped Maria Ortiz’s drag-flick. With 3 minutes left for the half time, Pipers capitalised on their opportunities. After a series of attempts, captain Navneet struck a powerful shot from a penalty corner to score the first goal of the season, giving the Pipers a 1-0 lead before the halfway point.
The third quarter saw a desperate pressing from Royals in the search of an equaliser. Even though the team created 3 penalty corners in the penultimate quarter alone, they failed to convert. They missed the opportunities due to poor trapping and injection, and brilliant defending by the Pipers PC defence unit that kept the crowd’s favourite team guessing. Royals’ goalkeeper, Bichu Devi Kharibam kept her team in the match with some brilliant saves which included a goal bound strike from Navneet.
The Pipers didn’t take long to double their lead in the early minutes of the final quarter. Viana pressed alone from Royals’ 23m line and found herself with plenty of space on the left and she dribbled past the goalkeeper and slotted a goal into an empty net. The Pipers held their nerves and controlled the pace of the game in the midfield and didn’t give a single chance to the opponent to secure a 2-0 win.
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