WHIL: Top five league matches of the group stage

The inaugural edition of the Women's Hockey India League has been a resounding success from a player and fan reception perspective.

With the conclusion of the group stage, one sight has remained constant, fans coming in huge numbers to cheer for all four of the WHIL franchises.

The players, on their part, have lived up to the expectations, displaying elite levels of the sport and entertaining the fans.

Across 12 matches in the group stage, there were a total of 38 goals were scored, with three matches going all the way to shootouts to decide the winner.

Here is our shortlist for the best league matches of WHIL 2025:

Delhi Pipers 0-4 Odisha Warriors

The WHIL kicked off with a bang, where Odisha Warriors put in a dominant display against Delhi Pipers in the opening fixture, winning 4-0.

After a goalless first half, Yibbie Jansen put the Warriors ahead from a penalty corner, and at 1-0, Delhi were in the match coming into the second half.

Then came the storm. Three goals in six minutes in the third quarter all but confirmed Odisha's win, with Yibbie Janson, Biljeet Kaur, and Freeke Moes all getting on the scoresheet.

The win set the tone for WHIL, a tone the league was able to sustain all through the group stage.

Odisha Warriors 1-2 Soorma Hockey Club

Coming into the match, both teams had outright wins from all of their matches, and the winner would become the sole leader of the WHIL table.

Both teams, having already shown their resolve in defense, continued the same, but Soorma took an early lead thanks to Hina Bano's 6th-minute strike.

The match, for the most part, remained in Soorma's hands, and the game looked to be in their bag when Sonam doubled their lead in the 47th minute.

Just as things were going well for Soorma, but in the 57th minute, Freeke Moes scored and made it 2-1, and from then till the end, things became very intense.

In a match between two supposed table-toppers, the two sides lived up to the excitement and served a match to remember.

Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers 1(2)-1(3) Odisha Warriors

The first-ever shoot-out of the WHIL was played between Bengal Tigers and Odisha Warriors.

After a 1-1 draw in regulation time, the match went into a penalty shoot-out, a time when goalkeepers take the limelight.

In this instance, it was Odisha's keeper Jocelyn Bartram who stole the show, making as many as three saves to give her side victory.

Odisha Warriors 1(2)-1(3) Delhi SG Pipers

Odisha went into the penultimate match of the group stage needing to avoid outright defeat to progress to the final.

The nerves were on display as Delhi made the inroads early on in the match, but had no goals to show for.

Things changed in the 28th minute when Navneet Kaur the skipper converted from the spot, scoring the penalty stroke won by Preethi Dubey.

But Odisha did not trail for long, as Yibbi Jansen, as she's done throughout the tournament, put away yet another penalty corner, making it 1-1.

Despite both teams creating chances, the winning goal wasn't to come and the match went into a shoot-out which Delhi won 3-2, closing their campaign on a high.

Odisha though, won't mind too much as they progressed to the final and became the first finalist of the WHIL, thanks to a point from a draw in regulation time.

Although a low-scoring affair, the match had its essence in the tactical nuances, and kept the fans and players on the edge of their seats as the battle ensued, making it a thrilling watch.

Soorma Hockey Club 4-2 Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers

The final league match of the WHIL was set up perfectly.

Soorma and Bengal both could qualify for the final, with Soorma holding the edge in the form of a three-point lead over Bengal.

Bengal needed an outright win whereas Soorma needed a draw in regulation time but that's not how Soorma does things in the WHIL.

They stomped their authority in the first minute of the match, with Charlotte Englebert pouncing on a loose ball and putting it in the back of the net within just 43 seconds.

Hina Bano then followed that with a wonderful individual effort, doubling Soorma's lead and when Englebert got her brace and Soorma's third in the 17th minute, things looked done and dusted.

Englebert then completed her hattrick from a penalty stroke in the 47th minute, but Bengal did not give up.

Despite two goals, first in the 48th minute by Vandana Kataria, and another by Shilpi Dabas in the 58th minute, the result was a foregone conclusion.

Soorma set up the WHIL title clash with Odisha Warriors, knocking Bengal Tigers out in a commanding fashion.

With the final set to be played on January 26th, everyone hopes that it turns out to be just as exciting as all the other WHIL matches so far.