Vandana Katariya becomes first Indian women's hockey player to make 300 international appearances

She achieved the feat against Japan in the Women's Asian Champions Trophy 2023.

Hockey India extended its congratulations to Indian women's hockey team forward player Vandana Katariya for achieving her 300th International Cap. Vandana, a native of Roshnabad, Uttarakhand, accomplished this milestone during India's match against Japan at the ongoing Women's Asian Champions Trophy 2023.

With this achievement, Vandana also became the first female player from India to participate in 300 international games.

India has maintained an unbeaten record at the Women's Asian Champions Trophy 2023, commencing with a 7-1 victory over Thailand in their first game, followed by a 5-0 triumph against Malaysia in the second match, and a thrilling 2-1 victory over China. The Indian women's hockey team is scheduled to face Japan on 31 October and will compete against Korea on 2nd November.

Vandana Katariya rose to prominence as the top scorer for the Indian team at the Junior Women's World Cup in Monchengladbach, Germany, and played a pivotal role in securing the bronze medal. She also played a significant part in India's historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, becoming the first Indian Women's hockey player to score a hat-trick in the Olympic Games.

In recognition of her contributions, she was honored with the prestigious Padma Shri Award in 2022. The veteran forward was a member of the Indian team that clinched the Asian Champions Trophy in 2016 and the 2017 Women's Asia Cup.

She was instrumental in the team's bronze medal at the 2022 Asia Cup, a third-place finish in the FIH Pro League 2021/22, and a victory in the FIH Nations Cup 2022. Additionally, she secured the 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medal.

Expressing her thoughts on this remarkable achievement, Vandana stated, "I am privileged to have represented India at national and international tournaments. Earning my 300th Cap is truly a special moment for me, and the memory will stay with me for a long time. The journey has been really special, and I feel blessed to wear the national jersey time and again. I would like to thank Hockey India, my teammates, and the support staff for their constant support over the years."

Hockey India President, Padma Shri Dr. Dilip Tirkey, congratulated Vandana Katariya on this remarkable accomplishment, saying, "I congratulate Vandana Katariya for earning her 300th International Cap. It is truly a memorable moment for any player to don the Indian Jersey and represent the country for this long. Her journey has been nothing but exceptional, and I hope that we see more phenomenal performances from her going forward."

Results and schedule for India women's hockey team

• 27th October 2023: India 7-1 Thailand
• 28th October 2023: India 5-0 Malaysia
• 30th October 2023: India 2-1 China
• 31st October 2023: India vs Japan at 20:30 hrs IST
• 2nd November 2023: India vs Korea at 20:30 hrs IST