A penalty corner awarded to India seconds before the final hooter enabled Harendra Singh's team to hold Japan to a 2-2 draw in their second Women's Hockey Asia Cup game in Hangzhou, China, on Saturday (September 6).The Japanese, who were awarded a late penalty stroke, had earlier taken the lead for the second time after being denied repeatedly by Indian custodian Bichu Devi Kharibam.Rutuja Pisal's effort from open play at the stroke of half-time had earlier cancelled out Hiroka Murayama's first quarter goal in a fast and absorbing Women's Hockey Asia Cup contest in Hangzhou.On a warm and humid evening, the Indians got off to a brisk start with goalkeeper Yu Kudo being tested in the second minute of play.The Indians failed to capitalise following a disastrous defensive lapse by the Japanese, which allowed Neha Goyal to penetrate the striking circle in the 9th minute.The Japanese made no mistake at the other end of the pitch, taking the lead through Hiroka Murayama a minute later. Murayama's mishit strike caused Bichu Devi to be wrong-footed in front of her citadel in the 10th minute.Playing her 50th international for India, Bichu did well to stop a shot from close range with Maruyama having ample time to take aim on goal in the 13th minute of play.A tomahawk from Mumtaz Khan from the edge of the circle helped her team earn a penalty corner in the 19th minute. Udita forced Akio Tanaka to come up with a quick reflex save off the follow-up corner.A peach of a pass from Navneet Kaur was angled across the face of the Japanese goal in the 24th minute, but failed to find the stick of any of the Indian players lurking in the vicinity.Tanaka was finally beaten in the 30th minute, with Rutuja Pisal tapping one in from right in front of the goalmouth.Chiko Fujibayashi helped her team retain the lead off a penalty stroke in the 58th minute. The Indians refused to take their feet off the pedal, forcing a flurry of penalty corners in the last couple of minutes.Navneet Kaur scored from a penalty corner at the death to level things up for the Indians who play Singapore in the last of their preliminaries of the Women's Hockey Asia Cup.Indian girls aim to win third Women's Hockey Asia Cup title in HangzhouThe Indian girls last won the Women's Hockey Asia Cup in 2017 - Source: GettyAfter losing 3-2 to South Korea in the final of the 1999 Asia Cup in New Delhi, the Indian girls registered their maiden triumph in the competition in 2004. With the Asia Cup returning to the Indian capital, the home side defeated Japan by a lone goal scored by Jasjeet Kaur.India did manage to win a silver medal in the 2009 Asia Cup in Thailand but were unable to repeat their gold medal-winning performance until 2017.At Kakamihahara, Japan, goalkeeper Savita Punia's heroics enabled the Indians to edge China 5-4 in the shoot-out after both teams were locked 1-1 in regulation time.