Deepika Sehrawat reveals ‘foremost goal’ after scoring document eight targets in Asian Games hockey match vs Uzbekistan

Deepika Sehrawat stated India’s focus on the Asian Games is to win the gold medal and safe direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after scoring a document eight targets within the staff’s opening match towards Uzbekistan on Sunday.The 22-year-old striker produced the all-time efficiency by an Indian lady in a single Asian Games hockey match as India thrashed Uzbekistan 19-0 of their Pool B opener in Kakamilgahara, Japan.Deepika scored within the eighth, twenty second, twenty fifth, thirty third, thirty sixth, thirty eighth, forty first and 54th minutes as India made a dominant begin to the match.Despite her eight-goal haul, Deepika stated particular person milestones weren’t her precedence and that the staff was solely targeted on enhancing with each recreation.“It’s been not that a lot a troublesome one. No matter what the opponent is, we’re simply specializing in ourselves. What we are able to do, adjustments we are able to do higher within the subsequent quarters, subsequent matches,” she stated after the match.She additionally credited her teammates for creating the penalty nook possibilities that helped her rating.“Before the match, we talked about penalty corners, like the place we end and which angle we take. It’s all due to my staff as a result of they’re making penalty corners, so I used to be there to be scoring.”Deepika stated the staff’s greater aim is to complete on high of the rostrum.“Our foremost goal is to win gold however for now it is specializing in match-to-match. I need to make India happy with my staff.”India, the second highest-ranked staff within the competitors, dominated from the beginning and scored eight targets within the first half earlier than including 11 extra after the break.Midfielder Ishika Chaudhary scored a hat-trick with targets within the eleventh, forty second and 54th minutes. Lalremsiami opened the scoring within the seventh minute, whereas Baljeet Kaur (twelfth), Neha (18th), Navneet Kaur (twenty third, forty fifth), Lalthantluangi (forty third, 51st) and Sakshi Rana (forty third) additionally bought on the scoresheet.Deepika, who has returned from accidents earlier this 12 months, was on the centre of India’s assault and transformed a number of penalty corners in the course of the match.The recreation was additionally a milestone for goalkeeper Savita Punia, who made her 320th cross-border look to attract stage with Vandana Katariya because the joint most-capped Indian lady hockey participant. Savita had little work to do as Uzbekistan struggled to maintain possession all through the competition.India will play Indonesia of their second Pool B match on Monday.