Following the conclusion of the exciting FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026, hockey fans the world over have elected Bichu Devi Karibam (India) and Abdul Rehman (Pakistan) as winners of the Poligras Magic Skill Awards.
From 4 to 13 September, fans voted to pick the moments that really captured the magic of hockey in this award presented by FIH Global Supplier Polytan. The shortlist for the Poligras Magic Skill Award featured six wonderful flashes of brilliance—3 women’s and 3 men’s—that graced the turf through Hockey’s premier global showdown.
Eventually, the Poligras Magic Skill Award for the women's competition went to Bichu Devi Karibam for her stunning reflex save in the final minute of the game against England that ensured their qualification from the pool stage on the way towards a 5th-place finish — Indian women team's best finish in 52 years. The Indian goalkeeper received 52% of all the votes, well clear of the other two nominees.
The award for the men's competition went to Abdul Rehman for his mindblowing 3D skills that saw him skip past 4 defenders, before adding a smart finish to score for Pakistan against Wales. Rehman's goal recieved 44% of the votes narrowly edging ahead of Kenton Melville's audacious goal, which received 39% of all votes.
Big congratulations to Bichu Devi Karibam and Abdul Rehman on the success, and thanks to all fans for voting!
The six magic skills can be re-watched here!
The prestigious Poligras Magic Skill Award celebrates the extraordinary talent and innovative skills of hockey players worldwide. It stands as a testament to Poligras’s commitment to hockey innovation and nurturing the next generation, honouring standout performances that push boundaries and enhance the skillset of hockey.
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About Sport Group, AstroTurf, Polytan & Poligras
Sport Group is the parent company of Polytan and AstroTurf, the two longest-established companies in the synthetic sports surface industry. Poligras hockey turf, part of Sport Group’s portfolio of specialist surface brands, is available worldwide through AstroTurf in the Americas and Polytan in EMEA and Asia Pacific. Trusted at the highest level of hockey, LA28 will mark the ninth Olympic Games played on Poligras.
About the International Hockey Federation (FIH)
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is the world governing body for the sport of hockey, recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Founded in 1924, FIH today has 146 member National Associations.
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