By IANS,
New Delhi : Indian women held Japan 2-2 in the final hockey Test of the four-match series at the Gifu Green Stadium at Kakamigahara, Japan, Wednesday.
Japan won the series 3-0. The hosts had won the first three matches convincingly but failed to make a clean sweep.
The two teams were locked 1-1 at half time.
Saundarya Yendala scored a brace when she slammed home in the 7th minute to give India the lead and later converted a penalty corner in the 39th minute.
For Japan, Rika Komazawa scored a field goal in the 9th minute before Mie Nakashima levelled the scores in the 62nd minutes through a penalty corner.
The Indian defence stood firm against a ruthless Japanese onslaught which resulted in eleven penalty corners, as against three earned by India.
India will now play Asian champions China in a three Test series at Shanghai beginning Tuesday.
The Indian women’s team is preparing for the World Cup at Rosario, Argentina in July-August to be followed by the Commonwealth Games at Delhi and the Asian Games at Guangzhou later in the year.