RRI.CO.ID, jakarta - Indonesia’s women’s national field hockey team has boosted its chances of qualifying for the Asian Games 2026 after securing an opening victory, with captain Nisa Indira expressing confidence in the team’s path forward.

“With the initial three points (for beating Kazakhstan), it certainly boosts our confidence to qualify for the Asian Games 2026,” Nisa said in Jakarta on Friday, April 24, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Indonesia began its campaign in the Asian Games Qualifiers with a 2-1 win over Kazakhstan on Thursday, April 23, giving the team a crucial early advantage in Pool B.

The result provides important momentum for the team as it continues its campaign against Sri Lanka and Singapore. Indonesia now needs just one more win to reach the semifinals and secure a place at the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya, Japan.

Nisa said the team has been instructed by coaches to approach every match with a “final-like” mentality. “Because every match is a final, we will give everything we have,” she said.

She acknowledged that some players experienced nerves during the opening match against Kazakhstan, as it was their first game of the tournament, but added that it serves as valuable evaluation for improvement. “Going forward, we must be more confident and believe in ourselves,” she continued.

Nisa added that all players share the same determination to win upcoming matches and remain optimistic about overcoming Sri Lanka to keep their qualification hopes alive.

Earlier, head coach Muhammad Dhaarma Raj stressed that the team must shift focus immediately to the next opponent. “We have to forget the match against Kazakhstan. We already got three points, so our focus must move to Sri Lanka,” he said.

The Malaysian coach also warned that Sri Lanka would not be an easy opponent, urging players to stay focused and avoid complacency after their opening win. ***