Shrachi Bengal Tigers have sealed their place in the Women’s Hockey India League 2025-26 finals. On Monday, January 8, 2026, Tigers defeated top contenders SG Pipers in a penalty shootout by 7-6 in Ranchi. The Tigers will once again face SG Pipers in the finals match of Women’s HIL scheduled on January 10 for the 2026 title.
Both teams ended without any goal secured, leading the match into a sudden-death shootout. While Tigers secured their entry into the finals from the match victory, SG Pipers got their qualification into the finals after finishing as the No. 1 team in the table rankings.
In the first quarter of the match, both teams started with early attacks. Bengal Tigers got their first penalty corner but failed to convert it into an advantage. Pipers on the other hand, responded through circle penetrations and taking possession of the game but like Tigers they also could not find a kickstart.
Meanwhile, in the second and third quarter, Bengal Tigers applied pressure over SG Pipers but on several occasions was denied by goalkeeper Bansari Solanki, who made multiple saves. Tigers’ Vandana Katariya came close to scoring from inside the circle, but Solanki stood firm. In the final quarter, the Tigers got a missed opportunity due to a late penalty corner from their captain Lalremsiami. With no score on the board from either of the teams, the match followed with a shootout.
The highlight of the game was both goalkeepers, who dominated the match during the shootout round. In the initial stage, the shootout ended in a tie with both teams at 2-2. For Tigers, two penalty shots came from Purnima Yadav and Noor de Baat, while Juana Castellaro and Kaitlin Nobbs scored for the Pipers. With the score tied, the Bengal Tigers made a dominant comeback and went on to secure all their remaining five penalty shoots. Meanwhile, SG Pipers were able to get four out of the five attempts.
After three consecutive wins in the Women’s HIL 2025-26, SG Pipers suffered their first defeat of the tournament against the Shrachi Bengal Tigers. Their first victory came against Ranchi Royals, which they won by 2-0. Their dominance continued in the next win against JSW Soorma Hockey Club by 1-0. Their third win came on January 2, 2026, when they defeated Soorma Hockey Club again by a score of 3-1.
