India’s men’s hockey team arrived in Japan carrying the weight of history, and will now leave the tournament having created a new chapter.
Led by captain Harmanpreet Singh, the defending champions successfully retained their Asian Games hockey crown in Aichi-Nagoya, completing a campaign that combined their incredible skills, firepower, resilience, and some extraordinary high-pressure moments.
The road to the final was impressive from the beginning. India opened its campaign with a 13-1 demolition of Indonesia and continued its winning run against Bangladesh, Japan, South Korea and other Pool A opponents. Against Bangladesh, India produced another dominant display, winning 10-0, with Captain Harmanpreet scoring a hat-trick. India finished the pool stage unbeaten with a remarkable +45 goal difference. However, that was just the beginning, the defining moment came in the semi-final against Pakistan.
India appeared to have control of the match after racing into a 3-0 lead. Harmanpreet struck twice from penalty corners, while Sukhjeet Singh added another. Pakistan, however, produced a stunning comeback, scoring three times to level the contest at 3-3.
With the final seconds ticking away, India needed one decisive moment. It came from Abhishek. His late field goal, with just 49.2 seconds remaining, secured a dramatic 4-3 victory and sent India into the final.
That victory set up the gold-medal clash against Malaysia, another unbeaten side that had topped Pool B with five straight wins. The final carried significance beyond the Asian Games medal, the champions would also earn direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The final was billed as a major test for Harmanpreet Singh’s side. Malaysia had been unbeaten throughout the tournament and had reached the final after defeating South Korea 2-1 in the semifinal. India, meanwhile, had survived a thrilling semifinal against Pakistan, winning 4-3 after surrendering a 3-1 advantage.
India made the perfect start against Malaysia. Captain Harmanpreet Singh opened the scoring through a penalty-corner conversion, immediately putting pressure on the Malaysian defence. Malaysia responded quickly, however, levelling the contest.
However, after that, the Indian attack began finding spaces in the Malaysian defence, while the midfield controlled possession and repeatedly created opportunities inside the circle. After the early exchange of goals, India regained the lead and just pulled away as the match progressed.
What had initially looked like a closely contested final eventually turned into a commanding Indian performance. The final scoreline of 5-1 reflected India’s total dominance.
For Indian hockey, the campaign represented another important milestone. The team had already established itself as one of Asia’s leading hockey powers, but a successful title defence would take that legacy another step forward. India had won the previous Asian Games title in Hangzhou in 2023, which had also secured Olympic qualification.
And then came the final, India destroyed Malaysia 5-1 to win the Gold and also secure automatic qualification for the Asian Games.
The tournament also showcased the depth of the squad. Alongside the experience of Harmanpreet Singh and veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh, younger players such as Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh and Shilanand Lakra made decisive contributions. The combination gave India attacking options while allowing its experienced core to handle pressure in crucial moments.
The men’s triumph also came just a day after the Indian women’s team ended a 44-year wait for Asian Games hockey gold by defeating China 1-0. Lalremsiami scored the decisive goal, while goalkeeper Savita Punia produced a crucial penalty-stroke save.
Together, the two results marked a remarkable Asian Games for Indian hockey.
