Gurjit Kaur orchestrates India's huge win over Thailand in Asian Champions Trophy opener

Ace dragflicker Gurjit Kaur was the architect of the Indian women's hockey team's emphatic start in the Women's Asian Champions Trophy. India decimated Thailand to record a massive 13-0 win on Sunday, December 5.

Gurjit Kaur was unstoppable in the first two quarters as she ran riot to put the match out of Thailand's reach. The dragflicker scored five goals in the match.

Kaur gave India the lead in the second minute after an infringement from Thailand in their defensive third awarded India a penalty stroke. The 26-year-old did the rest with no brouhaha and India went 1-0 up. The early goal put Thailand on the back foot and Vandana Katariya doubled India's lead five minutes later.

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By the time the first quarter ended, Lilima Minz had added another field goal in the 14th minute. Gurjit Kaur and Jyoti also scored two more from penalty corners in the 14th and 15th minutes, giving India a deserved 5-0 lead.

The second quarter started in much the same way as India kept most of the possession, giving Thailand no room to cause any danger.

Rajwinder Kaur, making her debut, scored a field goal in the 16th minute. In the 24th minute, Gurjit Kaur scored her third goal and Lilima scored another from a penalty corner.

The Indian women's hockey team demolished the Thai defense as they struck another penalty corner in the 25th minute through Gurjit Kaur. It gave India a massive 9-0 lead at the end of the second quarter.

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Gurjit Kaur adds more to her tally as India wrap up massive win

India dominated by continuing to make threatening runs into the circle from the left flank. However, Thailand dug in deep and defended well for the first six minutes of the third quarter.

Jyoti broke the threshold when she scored a field goal in the 36th minute to extend India's lead by 10 goals. A defensive error four minutes later from Thailand gave India another PC, but this time Gurjit Kaur's powerful flick was deflected by the opposition.

A well-constructed move from the middle late in the 43rd minute caught Thailand's defense napping as Sonika struck her first goal of the match.

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The fourth quarter, which was a mere formality by the time it started, saw Navneet Kaur test Thailand's defense with some penetrating runs from the right flank.

Thailand's defensive troops managed to keep the danger at bay, preventing any further damage to the scoreline.

However, in the 55th minute, Monika managed to get her stick on a long pass inside the circle as she deflected the ball into the back of the nets to score. Three minutes later Gurjit Kaur scored her fifth goal of the match from a late penalty corner, making India's first match a memorable one.

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