Lucknow: A 19-year-old Indian hockey player Mumtaz Khan, daughter of a vegetable vendor shined in the world cup tournament. In the quarterfinal match that held on April 8, her goal helped India in defeating Korea and marching into the semi-finals.
So far in the tournament, she scored six goals and emerged as the third-highest goal-scorer.
While she was playing the match at a university ground in Potchefstroom in South Africa, her mother, Qaiser Jahan was busy at her vegetable cart in Lucknow while his father was at the mosque.
However, Mumtaz’s five sisters were watching the match on their mobile phone when she scored the goal.
Befitting reply to patriarchal society
As Qaiser Jahan gave birth to six daughters, she used to receive a lot of taunts for not bearing a male child. Although she gave birth to a son in 2010, it is her daughter Mumtaz who brought recognition to her family and gave a befitting reply to patriarchal society.
Despite earning a meager income of Rs. 300 per day, Mumtaz’s father Hafiz helped her in realizing her dream.
Indian team defeats Korea
Indian junior women’s hockey team march into the semi-finals of the FIH Hockey Women Junior World Cup 2022 following a dominant 3-0 victory against Korea in the quarter-finals on Friday.
The last time the Indian junior women made the top four of the FIH Junior Women’s World Cup was in 2013 when they ended up on the podium with a bronze medal.
A well-worked variation saw Mumtaz Khan find the perfect deflection to fetch India a fine 1-0 lead.
Later, Hockey India tweeted, “Mumtaz Khan is our Player of the Match for her tenacity at the forward position and contribution to India’s goal”.
How Mumtaz started playing hockey
It all started in 2013 when she traveled with her school athletics team for a competition in Agra where a coach suggested trying hockey. She then started taking interest in the game.
In 2017, she joined the junior national hockey team. The next year, she won a silver medal at the Youth Olympics.
All eyes will be set on her on Sunday as India is going to play a semifinal match against the Netherlands.
