Bangkok, Jun 29 (IANS): Skipper Ritu Rani scored a hat-trick as India secured its second successive victory in the sixth women's Junior Asia Cup Hockey Championship with a thumping 9-0 win over Singapore in a Group A league match here Thursday.
Besides Ritu's hat-trick, vice captain Poonam Rani also scored three goals as the team followed up its 15-0 win against Sri Lanka.
Vandana Katariya scored off a sixth minute penalty corner to open the scoring. Seven minutes later, fellow forward Anupa Barla increased the lead with a field goal. Poonam scored off a penalty corner in the 22nd minute while Lily Chanu Mayengam added a field goal just before the break to ensure that India held a 4-0 lead.
Poonam pumped in two field goals within 10 minutes of resumption while Ritu scored a hat-trick off penalty corners in a 11-minute span from the 57th minute in a match in which India held ball possession for close to 95 per cent of the time. Though Singapore packed its defence, India scored frequently, converting six of the 15 penalty corners it forced.
In another Group A match, China beat Sri Lanka 21-0 while Korea defeated Pakistan 19-0 in a Group B game.
India's will play against China Monday before its final league game with Malaysia the following day.