That’s it from us tonight! Do join us tomorrow when India take on the Netherlands.

India 1-2 China, FT: China complete the turnaround and secure their first win of the season and their first win over India in the Pro League. Another chastening night for India In recent weeks.

India 1-2 China, Q4: Back to back PCs and Savita keeps India in the match. China go for a variation with the first one and Zhang Ying slaps the ball at goal. Ishika blocks it before Savita saves the rebound. China mistrap the injection from the next PC but still fashion a chance. Dan Wen shoots from point-blank range but Savita somehow manages to turn the ball onto the crossbar and over.

India 1-2 China, Q4: Gu Bingfeng fires the ball at goal but Savita Punia is equal to it. The Chinese, however, win another PC.

India 1-2 China, Q4: Under two minutes left and China win a PC.

India 1-2 China, Q4: Poor positioning from the Indian forwards. Navneet Kaur fires in a cross from the right but there is no one at the back post to attack it. Katariya, frustrated, chides a teammate who was closest to the back post for not making the run.

India 1-2 China, Q4: India have eight minutes to get something from the match. And it will not help their cause if they burn reviews as Lalremsiami does in pursuit of a PC.

India 1-2 China, Q4: China take the lead! The Chinese get four back to back PCs as Savita and her defence repel Gu Bingfeng and Zhang Ying. However, the Chinese finally break the defence down with the loose ball being fed to Gu on the right of the circle and she slaps the ball across goal into the opposite side of the net.

India 1-1 China, Q4: Dan Wen troubling the Indian defence once again and wins a PC off Nikki Pradhan.

India 1-1 China, Q4: The first chance of the fourth quarter goes to China. Zhong Jiaqi gets the ball at the far post. Ishika Chaudhary does well to deflect her shot away from goal.

India 1-1 China, End of Q3: India win their first PC of the match and they can retake the lead quickly. Gurjit Kaur is behind it but her drag flick is straight onto the stomach of the first rusher, Ma Ning. That is the last big chance of the quarter.

India 1-1 China, Q3: China draw level. China get inside the circle and Liu Hua tries to bring a rising ball under control. Dan Wen takes over and slaps the ball towards goal while falling over. It somehow loops over the onrushing Savita, Udita tries to clear it but it just spins away from her and into the goal.

India 1-0 China, Q3: Sharmila Devi gets the ball near the goalline on the left and makes her way into the circle. Looks like a promising move but the umpire has blown the whistle for a back stick by Sharmila.

India 1-0 China, Q3: Chances at both ends. Udita’s pass is pounced upon by the Chinese forward. She runs at goal but Nikki Pradhan comes out from nowhere to steal the ball. At the other end, Lalremsiami’s cross is not brought under control by Mumtaz who would have had a free hit at goal. Given how she had oriented her stick, think she was not expecting the cross and though Lalremisami would have a crack at goal.

India 1-0 China, Q3: India have the first big chance of the quarter! Sangita Kumari makes her way along the goalline and cuts it back. Neha Goyal and Katariya are at hand but the former cannot get her shot away with power. China manage to clear their lines.

India 1-0 China, Q3: India have the first big chance of the quarter! Sangita Kumari makes her way along the goalline and cuts it back. Neha Goyal and Katariya are at hand but the former cannot get her shot away with power. China manage to clear their lines.

India 1-0 China, Q3: China get us started in the third quarter. India need to be more clinical in possession lest they let China get back into the game.

India 1-0 China, Janneke Schopman: We’re doing some really good things but we can do more. If we move the ball better, we can hurt them a bit more.

India 1-0 China, HT: India have been wasteful in possession so far and are lacking the drive in attack. They lead purely due to Katariya’s unnatural instinct in front of goal. Things might have turned out differently had she not been out with a jaw injury in Ranchi.

India 1-0 China, HT: Sharmila Devi misses a gilt edged opportunity to give India a 2-0 lead right at the stroke of half time. She has a free shot at goal from near the penalty spot but only manages to edge the ball onto her own foot. China look to attack but the hooter goes off for the end of the first half.

India 1-0 China, Q2: A good attack from India. Navneet Kaur drives towards the 23m line and plays a through ball to Sharmila. The ball rolls on to the keeper who kicks it away but only as far as Lalremsiami. The forward has all the time and space to shoot but falters at the first hurdle by trapping the ball with the back of her stick.

India 1-0 China, Q2: India patiently make their way into the Chinese half, misplace a pass, win possession again, move the ball from one side to another before giving away possession with a poor first-time pass. India making it easier for China to keep possession.

India 1-0 China, Q2: India manage to find a way past the Chinese press and attack down the right. However, Mumtaz Khan cannot control the pass and the chances ends. Had she brought the ball under control, it would have been a 2v1 inside the Chinese circle.

India 1-0 China, Q2: China have come out all guns blazing and they are pressing India high up the pitch. They fashion another chance but Bichu Devi makes a routine save.

India 1-0 China, Q2: China nearly level! Bichu Devi, who has replaces Savita Punia in goal, does not make a clean save and the ball bounces towards goal. Ishika Chaudhary, at the post, does well to stop it. A diving Chinese player pokes at the ball but Udita sweeps the ball away.

India 1-0 China, Q2: China start the second quarter strongly and win the first penalty corner of the match. The drag flick takes a touch of first rusher Salima Tete and goes past goal. China ask for a referral. It looked like stick at first glance but the reverse angle shows that the ball came off Tete’s ankle.

India 1-0 China, End of Q1: Vandana scores! Oh how India missed Vandana Katariya in Ranchi! Lalremsiami fires in a low cross from the right. Katariya dives and stretches every sinew in her body to deflect the ball into goal. And that is the end of the first quarter

India 0-0 China, Q1: China come once again and Li Hua shoots but it is blocked and India launch the counter. Navneet offloads the ball to Vandana Katariya on the right but the pass has a bit more power than required and Katariya has to scramble to keep the ball in. She wins a free hit but the resultant long ball is wayward and India’s attack breaks down.

India 0-0 China, Q1: Another good chance for China. Zhang Ying does well to keep the ball away from two Indian defenders. She creates space for herself and shoots. The ball takes a deflection off an Indian stick. Li Hua at the far post get the ball and shoots wide.

India 0-0 China, Q1: A lot of misplaced passes and turnovers from both sides so far. And just as I type that, China have their first big chance of the match. Ma Ning searching pass takes a flick off Zhong Jiaqi before rolling towards goal. Savita kicks it but not far enough. Dan Wein is first to react and goes for the reverse hit but shanks it horribly wide and high of goal. In fact, the umpire has whistled for dangerous play from Wein.

India 0-0 China, Q1: India have had more of the possession but they haven’t been able to create anything of note.

India 0-0 China, Q1: India with the first attack of the match. The returning Gurjit Kaur runs down the right channel and puts in a minus ball. However, Sangita Kumari is crowded out and China win a free hit out.

India vs China: China do not wait for India and stream onto the pitch. When Savita Punia and Co finally make their way to the pitch. There is a big roar from the few hundreds who have come to the Kalinga Stadium. The national anthems ring out and we’re ready to go!

India vs China: China do not wait for India and stream onto the pitch. When Savita Punia and Co finally make their way to the pitch. There is a big roar from the few hundreds who have come to the Kalinga Stadium. The national anthems ring out and we’re ready to go!

India vs China, Janneke Schopman: It’s exciting to be back and play in front of the home crowd. We want to play good hockey.

India vs China: The last time these two sides met was at the Asian Champions Trophy where India won 2-1. That win, however, had come just a few weeks after China had beaten India 4-0 in the semi-finals at the Asian Games before going on to win gold and securing their passage to Paris. How different things could have been had India won that encounter one wonders.

The two met twice in the only Pro League season India played in and won both matches 7-1 and 2-1.

Hello and welcome to Scroll’s live coverage of India’s match against China, in the 2023-’24 FIH Women’s Pro League in Bhubaneswar.

The Indian women’s hockey team are back in the FIH Women’s Pro League after a gap of two seasons. In their debut season in 2021-22, India finished third. They are back in the Pro League after winning the 2022 FIH Nations Cup and would have ideally used the Pro League matches to prepare for the 2024 Paris Games.

That, sadly, will not be the case after India failed to qualify for the Olympics at the Olympics qualifiers a couple of weeks ago in Ranchi.

For Janneke Schopman’s side, the upcoming Pro League season will be all about developing the young team that the Dutchwoman has built over the last few years.

Indian Women’s Hockey Team

Goalkeepers: Savita Punia (C), Bichu Devi Kharibam

Defenders: Gurjit Kaur, Nikki Pradhan, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Monika, Jyoti Chhatri

Midfielders: Nisha, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Neha, Navneet Kaur, Salima Tete, Sonika, Jyoti, Baljeet Kaur, Sunelita Toppo

Forwards: Mumtaz Khan, Beauty Dungdung, Lalremsiami, Sangita Kumari, Deepika, Vandana Katariya (VC), Sharmila Devi

India’s schedule

February 3: Vs China at 7.30pm IST in Bhubaneswar

February 4: Vs The Netherlands at 7.30pm IST in Bhubaneswar

February 7: Vs Australia at 7.30pm IST in Bhubaneswar

February 9: Vs The United States at 7.30pm IST in Bhubaneswar

February 12: Vs China at 7.30pm IST at Rourkela

February 14: Vs The Netherlands at 7.30pm IST at Rourkela

February 17: Vs Australia at 7.30pm IST at Rourkela

February 18: Vs The United States at 7.30pm IST at Rourkela

Screenshots in the blog courtesy: FIH Media / Jio Cinema

Match live: Sports 18 Khel and Jio Cinema