India’s Rajwinder Kaur (right) vies with New Zealand’s Stacey Carr in New Delhi on Wednesday. (AFP)

New Delhi: The Indian eves produced their best in the tournament so far, defeating New Zealand 2-1 to make it to the final of the Indira Gandhi International Gold Cup Hockey Championship here on Wednesday.

Saba Anjum ? the top-scorer with five goals so far ? and Sanggaai Ibemhal Chanu scored for the hosts to help them maintain a clean slate in the tournament so far.

For New Zealand, Honor Dillon narrowed down the margin in the 64th minute.

India now lead the table with nine points from three matches, with one match remaining against Australia ? who beat Italy 4-1 on Wednesday ? to be played on Friday.

Australia are placed second on the table with seven points, and are almost certain of making it to the final. However, if they lose to India, and New Zealand defeat Malaysia in their last league matches, then Australia’s fate would be decided through goal difference.

The India-New Zealand match saw the teams match each other in speed, and it was left to the defence of both the teams to prove its skills.

India goofed up a chance to go into lead in the sixth minute when they failed to score through a set piece as Sarita Lakra missed an easy chance. Adeline Kerketta also failed to score in the 24th minute.

However, New Zealand also squandered the chance to score through as many as five penalty corners in the first half, and the teams remained goalless in the first half.

The Indians exerted relentless pressure in the second half as the Kiwis looked tired and slow on their feet, struggling as they were with the heat and humidity.

Anjum finally gave India the lead when she converted the fifth penalty corner, deflecting a pass from Rajwinder Kaur. Ten minutes later, Chanu took the advantage of a goalmouth melee to give India a 2-0 lead.

Australia, meanwhile, put up an improved performance and pumped in three goals in the first half of the match against Italy.

Taylor Sarah sounded the board in the third minute and captain Nikki Hudson scored another in the 19th minute. The next two goals were scored by Skirving Angie through a penalty corner and a field goal. Italy managed a face-saver through a penalty corner in the last moments of the match. (PTI)