From injury to glory: Mumtaz emerges leading scorer for India in Asia Cup | Lucknow News
Lucknow: City girl and star forward Mumtaz Khan once again proved her mettle on the international stage.Mumtaz scored six goals, the highest for India alongside Navneet Kaur, including five field goals and one from a penalty corner, in the Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China. However, the Indian team faltered in the final, losing 1–4 to China on Sunday and missing out on direct qualification for next year’s World Cup. Just three months before the Asia Cup, Mumtaz had sustained an injury during a senior tournament on the Australia tour. In the second match, she fractured her hand, which required surgery and a month of rehabilitation. Despite the setback, Mumtaz cleared the Asia Cup trials, secured her place in the squad, and emerged as the tournament’s highest goal-scorer. Speaking to TOI from China, she said, “This was my first senior Asia Cup and I was very excited. The team’s performance was good and I received a lot of support from my teammates.” When asked about making a comeback from injury, she said, “No matter how many injuries I face, I always try to recover and give my 100 percent.” A daughter of a vegetable vendor, Mumtaz said, “I cannot give up because I come from a family that need my support. I will work as hard as I can because I know hockey can give me everything.” “When I came to know that the Asia Cup was going to be held in China, my only goal was to give my best, secure my place in the team, and score well. Representing my senior team was a huge deal for me. I always thought about helping my team win a medal,” she added. Reflecting on the final, she said, “I couldn’t score in the final. I scored throughout the tournament, but in the final I missed chances. I even created penalty corners but we couldn’t convert them. Overall, I am happy with my performance.”
