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Navneet Kaur Credits Team Trust After Stellar FIH Qualifiers & Award Win

Star forward Navneet Kaur reflected on her outstanding performance at the FIH Women's World Cup Qualifiers, where her hat-trick against Wales helped India secure qualification. She was named Player of the Tournament and later received the Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year. Kaur emphasized that her individual success was a result of the entire team's effort and the trust they placed in her. Looking ahead, she stated the team is focused on improving further for the upcoming FIH World Cup and Asian Games.

Key Points: Navneet Kaur on FIH Qualifiers Success & Player of Year Award

  • Hat-trick against Wales secured World Cup spot
  • Won FIH Qualifiers Player of the Tournament
  • Received Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award
  • Focused on improving for upcoming major events
3 min read

Navneet Kaur credits entire team for "placing their trust" in her after stellar FIH Qualifiers run

Indian hockey star Navneet Kaur credits team trust for her Player of the Tournament award at FIH Qualifiers and discusses future goals for World Cup & Asian Games.

"I would like to credit the team for placing their trust in me. - Navneet Kaur"

By Adarsh Chauhan, New Delhi, March 27

Star Indian forward Navneet Kaur, coming off an impressive showing at the FIH World Cup Qualifiers, spoke about winning the Player of the Tournament award and credited her teammates for their trust and support. Navneet also won the Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year at the 8th Hockey India Annual Awards on Friday.

Navneet Kaur netted a hat-trick for India against Wales in their third match of the recent FIH Women's World Cup Qualifiers in Hyderabad, guiding the hosts to a 4-1 victory. The win secured India a spot in the semifinals and confirmed their qualification for the Women's Hockey World Cup. Her hat-trick stood out as one of the tournament's key moments, with India also registering a win over Italy. However, they fell short in the final, losing 2-0 to England.

Navneet emerged as the third-highest goal-scorer in the tournament and won the Player of the Tournament award. Speaking to ANI on the accomplishment, she said the award made her happy but credited her team's support and trust for the achievement.

"As a player, an award like the Player of the Tournament always makes you feel happy. However, it would not have been possible without the support of the entire team. It was a complete team effort. I would like to credit the team for placing their trust in me," she said.

Speaking about her hat-trick against Wales, Navneet Kaur said she believes in herself and always looks to play with confidence and that she aims to score whenever possible, focusing on giving her best regardless of the number of goals she scores.

"I always believe in myself. I always play with confidence. I had it in my mind to score whenever I could. However, it's not like I am only confident when I score the goals, and I am always looking to give my best," she said.

Ahead of the FIH World Cup in August and the Asian Games in September, Navneet Kaur said that although India performed well in the Qualifiers, the team still has areas to improve and is focused on addressing them ahead of the two big events this year.

"While we performed well in the tournament, there are still a few areas we can improve in. And we are looking to improve on those aspects ahead of the FIH World Cup and the Asian Games," Navneet Kaur said.

Coming to the 8th Hockey India Annual Awards, Navneet Kaur and Hardik Singh were honoured with the coveted Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year 2025 (INR 20 lakh each) in the men's and women's categories, respectively.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Fantastic news! The hat-trick against Wales was a masterclass. However, we must be realistic. Losing the final to England shows there's still a gap against top European sides. Hope the team works on converting penalty corners and defensive structure before the World Cup.
A
Aman W
Balbir Singh Sr. Award is a huge honour. She truly deserves it. Her confidence is infectious! Wishing the entire team the very best for the Asian Games. Bring home the gold! 🇮🇳
S
Sarah B
Watching from Canada. What an inspiring athlete! Her focus on continuous improvement, even after such success, is a lesson for all sportspeople. The future looks bright for Indian hockey.
V
Vikram M
This is the kind of sports news that makes my day. After the Olympic high, it's great to see the women's team maintaining momentum. Navneet's humility is as impressive as her skills on the field. More power to her!
K
Kriti O
So well deserved! 🎉 But let's not forget the entire team's effort. Hockey is the ultimate team sport. Hope this success brings more sponsorship and better facilities for our women athletes. They work so hard!

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