New Delhi: Defender Udita of the Indian women's hockey team expressed her joy after being named Player of the Tournament, following her team's silver medal win at the Women's Asia Cup 2025. India faced a tough defeat against the host nation, China, with a score of 1-4 in the final match on Sunday.

Udita stepped up significantly during the tournament, especially in the absence of the regular drag-flicker Deepika, who was injured. She took on the responsibility of executing penalty corners and managed to score three goals while also maintaining her defensive role.

Upon receiving the Player of the Tournament accolade, Udita remarked, "Being recognized as the Player of the Tournament is a moment of pride for me. This honor is particularly meaningful as I had missed the Pro League matches in Europe earlier this year. My goal was to return strongly for such a crucial tournament, and I appreciate my teammates and coaching staff for their unwavering support throughout this journey."

India began the final match on a positive note, scoring a goal from a penalty corner within the first minute, courtesy of Navneet Kaur. However, China quickly responded, netting a goal in the second quarter.

The second half saw China take control, scoring three additional goals while India struggled to find the net again. Despite the loss, Udita praised her team's overall performance during the tournament.

"We showcased excellent teamwork and resilience in challenging matches. Victories against teams like Korea and Japan boosted our confidence. Although the final didn't go as planned, this silver medal represents progress and motivates us to strive for improvement as we gear up for future challenges," she stated.

Udita also dedicated her award to the team's collective effort, stating, "While individual accolades are significant, they reflect the hard work of the entire team. Every player played a part, and I feel honored to represent such a dedicated group. We will learn from this experience and return even stronger."

Throughout the pool stage, India remained unbeaten, accumulating seven points from three matches. They achieved impressive victories over Thailand and Singapore, winning 11-0 and 12-0, respectively, and drew against Japan 2-2.

Advancing to the Super4s, the team, led by Salima Tete, triumphed over Korea with a score of 4-2 before facing a 1-4 defeat against China. They secured their finals spot by drawing their third game against Japan 1-1.