Women's Hockey WC: India hold US, qualify for quarters playoffs
London, July 30 :India qualified for the playoffs of the quarter-finals in the Women's Hockey World Cup as they held higher-ranked United States 1-1 in their third and final Pool B match at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre here on Sunday.
The Indian team displayed great character and a solid defensive structure throughout the match to earn the draw as captain Rani Rampal (31st minute) cancelled out Margaux Paolino's 11th-minute goal.
With the first-placed team in the pool, Ireland advancing directly to the quarter-finals, england and India are certain to finish second and third -- thereby both securing a spot in the playoffs. Though the US have two points -- same as India and England -- the former is behind on goal difference. Ireland take on England later in the day.
India needed at least a draw against the US to keep their chances alive for the last eight stage after playing a draw against England before losing to Ireland.
India started the match against the US on the front foot as they showed some quick passing, but had a scare in the fourth minute when their captain Rani was forced off with a twisted ankle.
The World No. 10 team won their first penalty corner of the match in the seventh minute, but Gurjit Kaur's flick was saved by US goalkeeper Jackie Briggs.
India dominated possession and pressed the Americans but the 11th minute saw the US take the lead as Indian goalkeeper Savita was called into action when Erin Matson's shot was saved by the shotstopper. However the rebound was put into the back of the net through Savita's legs by Margaux Paolino.
India looked for an equaliser and were threatening the US defence with some good build-up play; winning their two more penalty corners in the first quarter, but Gurjit Kaur's efforst were not enough.
India continued to put pressure on the US in the second quarter which saw Rani's drive being intercepted by a defender while the captain's penalty corner strike was deflected away by Briggs in the first five minutes of this quarter.
The US earned two penalty corners late in the second quarter but Savita and her defence set-up foiled them, as India trailed 0-1 at the half-time.
After the break, Rani continued to make incursions into the box. In the first minute of the third quarter, she flicked the ball onto Michelle Vittese's foot inside the striking circle. Rani slammed home from the resulting penalty corner to bring India level.
India displayed a great defensive structure throughout the third quarter as they denied the US any opportunity to create chances. In the 43rd minute, India's Sunita Lakra made a crunching tackle to deny Michelle Vittese a shot as Savita cleared the ball.
In the final quarter, India maintained a nice balance of attack and defence as they stopped the US from gaining lead, as the match ended in a draw.
Rani said after the match: "I think both the teams fought well throughout the match, US had their chances, and I am proud of our team that we defended well throughout the match.
"We knew we had to take our chances against this strong US team, and we made sure that we earned this draw which keeps us in the competition."
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Domestic LPG price hiked by Rs 60 per cylinder to Rs 913
New Delhi (PTI): Domestic cooking gas LPG price on Saturday was hiked by a steep Rs 60 per cylinder, the second increase in rate in less than a year, as oil companies pass on a part of the spike in global energy rates that followed the West Asia crisis.
Non-subsidised LPG - the one that common households use in kitchens - will now cost Rs 913 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi as against Rs 853 previously, according to the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) website.
Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries - the over 10 crore poor who have got free LPG connection since 2016 - will also have to bear the same amount of price increase. They will now pay Rs 613 per 14.2 kg cylinder after accounting for a subsidy of Rs 300 per bottle they get for up to 12 refills in a year.
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The price increase, the website showed, is effective from March 7.
This is the second increase in rate in 11 months. The price was last hiked by Rs 50 in April last year.
Alongside, the price of commercial LPG - the one used by establishments such as hotels and restaurants - was increased by Rs 114.5 per 19-kg cylinder. It now costs Rs 1,883 in Delhi. This increase comes on top of Rs 28 per 19-kg cylinder raise effected on March 1.
Commercial LPG rate has risen by Rs 302.50 this year.
Industry officials said the increase follows a steep rise in global energy prices since the US and Israel attack on Iran last weekend triggered a wider military conflict in the oil and gas-rich Middle East.
The conflict has led to a near halt in tanker movement through the Strait of Hormuz -the narrow but critical sea lane between Iran and Oman used by Middle Eastern producers to export oil and gas to global markets. The disruption has sharply curtailed energy shipments from the region, triggering a spike in global oil and gas prices.
Since the conflict broke out on February 28, US crude soared 35.63 per cent for the biggest weekly gain in the history of the futures contract dating back to 1983. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures closed at USD 90.90 per barrel. Brent jumped about 28 per cent for its biggest weekly gain since April 2020, to settle at USD 92.69 per barrel.
Asian spot prices for liquefied natural gas (LNG) have also jumped to around USD 25.40 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) - a three-year high and more than double of last week's levels of around USD 10 per mmBtu amid fears of supply disruptions and halted exports from Qatar.
LPG markets have also tightened as shipments from key Gulf exporters face logistical disruptions, pushing international propane and butane benchmarks higher and raising concerns over supply availability for major importers such as India.
Despite Saturday's price increase, cooking gas in India is priced at the lowest when compared with neighbouring countries, industry officials said.
In Mumbai, non-subsidised LPG now costs Rs 912.50, Rs 939 in Kolkata and Rs 928.50 in Chennai, according to the IOC website.
Rates differ from state to state depending on the incidence of local sales tax or VAT.
The Strait of Hormuz is also a critical conduit for India's energy imports, with roughly half of the crude oil the country buys from overseas transiting through the narrow waterway. In addition, nearly 40 per cent of India's natural gas imports, largely in the form of LNG from Gulf suppliers like Qatar and the UAE, also pass through the strait.
For LPG, the strait is more important. India consumed 31.3 million tonne of LPG in 2024-25, of which only 12.8 million tonne were produced domestically, with the remainder imported. Of the imported quantity, 85-90 per cent come from countries like Saudi Arabia that rely on the Strait of Hormuz for transit.
The Strait has been effectively blocked following a week-old escalation in the region, after US and Israeli strikes on Iran prompted Tehran to retaliate against US bases in neighbouring countries.
To augment domestic supplies, the government on Friday invoked sparingly used emergency powers to direct oil refineries to ramp up LPG production.
