All posts tagged: Bansari Solanki

Hockey India League: Bansari Solanki steps off the bench and into the limelight as SG Pipers beat Bengal Tigers in shootout to win title | Hockey News

Hockey India League: Bansari Solanki steps off the bench and into the limelight as SG Pipers beat Bengal Tigers in shootout to win title | Hockey News

Published by Webster

Growing up, Bansari Solanki dreamt of being an aeronautics engineer. She started playing hockey just for fun after being coaxed by a teacher at her school. However, it became a passion when she watched Hockey India League matches – the previous iteration of the league that ran till 2017. She didn’t start off as a goalkeeper, either. Even that was a quirk of fate when a coach asked her to pad up to fill in for someone else. Her career truly kick-started after being spotted by one of India’s greatest ever, Dhanraj Pillay, when he scouted across Gujarat for young talent. Olympian Romeo James further refined her goalkeeping skills. She even wanted to be an Aeronautics Engineer growing up. A journey with many twists and turns would meet with one more on Saturday. Having not been named in the starting lineup for SG Pipers in the Women’s HIL Final, Solanki was substituted in for the Penalty Shootout. And the youngster from Vadodara stopped a Penalty Stroke from Argentine superstar Agustina Gorzelany and thwarted a couple …

SG Pipers clinch Women’s HIL 2025–26 title

SG Pipers clinch Women’s HIL 2025–26 title

Published by Webster

SG Pipers were crowned champions of the Women’s Hero Hockey India League 2025–26 after defeating Shrachi Bengal Tigers 3-2 in a shootout following a 1-1 draw in regulation time at Ranchi on Friday. The closely fought final saw both teams trade goals before SG Pipers held their nerve in the decisive shootout to lift the title. Shrachi Bengal Tigers struck first in the 16th minute when Lalremsiami finished clinically after being picked out inside the circle by Sushila Chanu. The Tigers carried a slender advantage into halftime, having created further chances through penalty corners without adding to the scoreline. SG Pipers responded with sustained pressure after the break, forcing the Tigers’ defence into repeated interventions. Their persistence paid off in the 53rd minute when Preeti Dubey’s backhand effort deflected off the goalkeeper’s stick and rolled into the net to restore parity. With neither side able to find a winner in regulation time, the championship was decided in a shootout. Solanki shines as SG Pipers seal title In the shootout, SG Pipers captain Navneet Kaur, Juana …