The Indian men’s hockey team began its title defence at the 9th Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 with a commanding 13-0 victory over Bangladesh at the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar on Tuesday.
India dominated all four quarters to register its biggest victory over Bangladesh in the Asian Championship, making an emphatic start to the tournament. Captain Harmanpreet Singh led from the front, while Mandeep Singh scored a hat-trick and Dilpreet Singh and Hardik Singh netted twice each.
According to <Link url=”https://newsonair.gov.in/india-wins-over-bangladesh-with-13-0-in-asian-champions-trophy-2026/” title=”Akashvani News”/>, the hosts maintained their attacking momentum throughout the match, combining effective penalty-corner conversions with clinical finishing in front of goal.
Harmanpreet Leads India’s Attack
India made an immediate impact, with captain Harmanpreet Singh converting a penalty corner in the second minute to open the scoring. Mandeep Singh followed with another goal in the third minute, giving the hosts an early advantage.
Mandeep struck again in the 10th minute, while Shilanand Lakra added another goal in the 15th minute. Abhishek extended India’s lead in the 18th minute, and Nilakanta Sharma scored in the 26th minute to give India a commanding 6-0 advantage at half-time.
The Indian side continued to apply pressure after the break. Dilpreet Singh scored twice in the 43rd and 44th minutes, while Harmanpreet converted another penalty corner to strengthen India’s position.
Jugraj Singh added another goal in the 46th minute. Mandeep completed his hat-trick in the 54th minute before Hardik Singh scored twice in the 60th minute to complete the 13-0 victory.
Other Results on Opening Day
The opening day of the tournament also witnessed competitive encounters between other participating teams. Malaysia defeated China 5-4, while Japan secured a 3-2 victory over South Korea.
The results set the stage for further competition as the six participating teams continue their campaign in the tournament.
India to Face China Next
India will face China in its next league-stage match on October 29. Malaysia will take on South Korea, while Bangladesh will meet Japan.
The tournament features six teams competing in a round-robin league format, with the top four sides advancing to the semi-finals.
India’s comprehensive opening victory provides a strong start to its title defence, while the substantial goal difference could prove valuable as the league-stage standings take shape.
With international hockey returning to Punjab, the tournament has also brought renewed attention to the region’s longstanding connection with the sport. India’s performance in Jalandhar will raise expectations as the team prepares for its upcoming fixtures
