FIH Junior Women’s World Cup: Spotlight on Bichu Devi as India face Korea in quarters

Bichu Devi Kharibam will hope to continue her good show as India take on Korea in the quarterfinals of the FIH Junior Women’s World Cup in Potchefstroom, South Africa, on Friday. The custodian from Manipur has had a brilliant tournament so far as India have won all their three matches in the group stages to qualify for the knockouts as Group D toppers. In the opener they beat Wales 5-1, then they shocked Germany 2-1 and in their last game beat Malaysia 4-0 with ease.

While she wasn’t tested much against Wales, it was during the match against Germany that she put on a performance for all to remember. Despite the rain, which made her kit even heavier, she made as many as a dozen saves and also kept out a penalty stroke to help the Indian team register a memorable victory against the European powerhouse. What was more fascinating was the way she celebrated the crucial saves, without holding back her emotions and enjoying her moments in the sun.

However, Germany finally did score one in the 57th minute after they threw in the sink, but it was not enough in the end as Bichu Devi along with the defenders held the fort after that. While the 20-year-old has tasted a lot of success before, including a silver medal at the 2018 Youth Olympics, she believes her debut for the senior team during the Pro League really prepared her for the World Cup. “After making my debut in the Pro League, my confidence has increased manifold and I’ve not felt any pressure since coming here.