SG Pipers won the Women’s Hockey India League 2025-26 Championship on January 10, 2026, with a 3-2 Shootout over Shrachi Bengal Tigers after both teams ended the match tied at 1-1 during Regulation Time at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi.
The final was decided by goalkeeper Bansari Solanki’s heroics in the shootout, where she made three crucial saves, including a penalty stroke, to secure the title for her team. Captain Navneet Kaur, Juana Castellaro, and Lola Riera converted their attempts to seal victory for the Pipers, who walked away with prize money of ₹1.5 crore.
Match Report: How Did the Match Play Out?
The SG Pipers pushed to get back on level terms in the second half of play, while the Shrachi Bengal Tigers made it 1-0 in the 16th minute with a goal by Lalremsiami; she caught the ball after receiving a nice, accurate pass from Sushila Chanu, then used her strength to hit the shot into the net behind the Pipers’ goalie.
Early in the game, the Tigers had the majority of the ball and were able to create many chances to score; however, the Pipers’ defensive unit was very solid in the first half of play. The breakthrough came in the 53rd minute when Preeti Dubey’s back-handed shot deflected off Tigers goalkeeper Jennifer Rizzo’s stick and found the back of the net.
The two teams fought hard to obtain the victory in the last minutes of play; however, they were tied 1-1 after regulation time, and therefore the match went into penalty strokes. The third period was also an example of both teams’ tough defense.
Shrachi Bengal Tigers had a very close call in the third quarter as well when Agustina Gorzelany’s drag-flick hit the post. SG Pipers goalkeeper Cristina Cosentino made back-to-back saves against Vandana Katariya and Victoria Manuele to keep her team in contention.
Late in the fourth quarter, Lola Riera produced a crucial block to deny Vandana Katariya what would have been the winning goal, sending the Women’s Hockey India League final to a shootout.
Why Did the Shootout Decide It?
Kaitlin Nobbs was fouled during the shootout, and a penalty stroke was awarded to SG Pipers; it was then confidently scored by Lola Riera, and that shootout ultimately decided the match 3-2 in favor of SG Pipers.
Bansari Solanki was the hero in goal, using an incredible amount of ability to keep out the Tigers’ shootout opportunities and give her team the championship.
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Tournament Awards and Performances: Who Stood Out?
At the end of the Women’s Hockey India League 2025-26, awards were given to the top players who performed well during the tournament.
Bansari Solanki, an experienced goalkeeper who was part of India’s 39‑member squad for the Senior Women National Coaching Camp, was awarded ₹5 lakhs as well as the title of Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament.
Bansari Solanki, the best goalkeeper of the tournament due to her great performance during the last game of the tournament, was awarded ₹5 lakhs as well as the title of Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament.
Navneet Kaur, the captain of one of the teams, was named Player of the Tournament and awarded ₹20 lakhs for her contributions to her team throughout the tournament. Her fellow player Sunelita Toppo was awarded the Upcoming Player of the Tournament award and was also rewarded with ₹5 lakhs.
Shrachi Bengal Tigers’ Agustina Gorzelany was the tournament’s top scorer, finishing ahead of all others regardless of how well her team did; she earned ₹5 lakhs for it. Shrachi Bengal Tigers won ₹1 crore as runner-up; Ranchi Royals placed 3rd and earned ₹50 lakhs + the Fair Play award.
Season Context
This season included 4 teams that competed against one another twice per team in a double round robin system at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda stadium in Ranchi. SG Pipers had the most points in the regular season with 13 points; Shrachi Bengal Tigers had 11 and advanced to the championship finals.
Interestingly, the two finalists had faced each other twice during the league stage, with Shrachi Bengal Tigers winning both encounters via penalty shootouts, 4-3 after a 3-3 draw and 7-6 after a goalless draw. However, SG Pipers managed to reverse that trend when it mattered most.
Coached by Sofie Gierts, who is the only woman to be coaching in the finals of this tournament, SG Pipers played consistently with a strong team identity throughout the competition. SG Pipers were the only undefeated team at the end of the regular season, except for their last game, which was a dead rubber, as they would have been going into the final regardless, versus Ranchi Royals.
Why Does This Matter?
SG Pipers’ victory is an extraordinary turnaround for the team that earned the least number of outright wins in the first season of the Women’s Hockey India League (WHIL) and ranked last; this WHIL championship has been a huge accomplishment for the organization, and they are now the second WHIL Champion after Odisha Warriors took the title in the inaugural season.
This season provided a showcase of the increasing strength and competition among Indian women’s field hockey players. All matches were televised nationally, allowing fans to watch the games; the success of the 2025-26 season will provide a solid base to continue developing the Women’s Hockey India League.
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