Orpita hattrick helps Bangladesh hold Chinese Taipei in historic international debut

Bangladesh women’s hockey team marked their international debut in memorable fashion, holding a strong Chinese Taipei side to a thrilling 5-5 draw in the Women’s Asian Games Qualifiers in Jakarta on Thursday.

Although Bangladesh’s women’s age-group teams have featured in several Asian Hockey Federation-sanctioned tournaments over the past two years, including a runners-up finish by the U-21 side in the 2024 Women’s Junior AHF Cup, this was the senior team’s first official international outing.

Heading into the match, Chinese Taipei were clear favorites. Their U-21 side had handed Bangladesh a 3-0 drubbing in last year’s Junior AHF Cup. However, Bangladesh defied expectations with a spirited display.

Bangladesh, comprising mostly players from the Under-21 team, surged to a 3-1 lead at one stage before falling two goals behind. They fought back valiantly to secure a remarkable draw in a high-scoring, fiercely contested encounter.

Captain Orpita Pal led from the front with a superb hattrick. Airin Riya set the tone early, scoring Bangladesh’s first two goals, while Konta Akter netted the crucial equaliser in the third quarter.

The result significantly boosts Bangladesh’s chances of qualifying for the upcoming Asian Games, with the top four teams progressing. Bangladesh still have two matches remaining -- against Hong Kong and Uzbekistan, the latter having defeated Hong Kong 4-0 earlier on Thursday.

Bangladesh will next face Uzbekistan on Friday.