India women storm into Asia Cup hockey semifinals

New Delhi: Riding on a hat-trick by dragflicker Gurjit Kaur, India's women's hockey team thrashed Kazakhstan 7-1 in the quarterfinal on Thursday to enter the last-four of the 2017 Asia Cup being held in Kakamigahara, Japan. 

Gurjit opened India's scoring in the fourth minute when she brought her team level at 1-1 after the Kazakhs surprisingly took lead in the second minute through Verra Domashneva's strike. 

Gurjit then struck again in the 42nd and 56th minute to complete her hat-trick. 

In between, goals from Deep Grace Ekka (16th and 41st) and Navneet Kaur (22nd and 27th) put the match beyond 34th-ranked Kazakhstan. 

India are so far unbeaten in the tournament having finihed the pool stage on top with wins against Singapore (10-0), China (4-1) and Malaysia (2-0). 

India's opponents in the semis will be known after the other quarterfinals conclude.