India launched their title defence in emphatic fashion at the Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026, thrashing Bangladesh 13-0 at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar on Tuesday. The dominant performance marked a spectacular return of international hockey to Punjab, with the home crowd waving the Tricolour and cheering the Indian team throughout the contest.
Mandeep Singh led the scoring with a hat-trick, finding the net in the 3rd, 10th and 54th minutes. Captain Harmanpreet Singh, Dilpreet Singh and Hardik Singh scored twice each, while Shilanand Lakra, Abhishek, Nilakanta Sharma and Jugraj Singh also contributed to India’s commanding victory.
However, the evening carried an emotional moment beyond the scoreline, as midfielder Nilakanta Sharma announced his retirement from international hockey, confirming that the tournament would be his final appearance in the Indian jersey.
India seize control from the opening whistle:
India wasted little time establishing their dominance. Harmanpreet opened the scoring in the second minute, converting a penalty corner with a powerful drag-flick. Mandeep doubled the lead a minute later, finishing with a reverse-hit after receiving a pass from Harmanpreet.
Bangladesh attempted to respond, but India’s defensive unit remained alert. Lakra cleared a dangerous opportunity in the fourth minute before the Indian attack resumed its relentless pressure.
Mandeep struck again in the 10th minute, finishing from close range after Harmanpreet’s aerial ball reached Abhishek, who created the opportunity inside the circle. Lakra extended the advantage to 4-0 in the 15th minute following a coordinated move involving Sukhjeet Singh and Aditya Arjun Lalage.
India carried their attacking momentum into the second quarter. Abhishek made it 5-0 in the 18th minute, capitalising on Mandeep’s pass from the left. Nilakanta added the sixth goal in the 26th minute with a reverse-stick effort from the top of the circle.
Despite a fine save by Bangladesh goalkeeper Ashraful Shad earlier in the quarter, India went into half-time with a commanding 6-0 lead.
Three goals in quick succession crush Bangladesh’s hopes:
Bangladesh managed longer spells of possession in the third quarter, but India continued to create scoring opportunities and maintained their attacking intensity.
Dilpreet converted a penalty corner in the 43rd minute and scored again from open play a minute later. Harmanpreet then converted another penalty corner in the 44th minute, pushing India’s lead to 9-0 in a devastating spell of attacking hockey.
India continued their dominance in the final quarter. Jugraj Singh converted a penalty corner in the 46th minute to make it 10-0.
Mandeep completed his hat-trick in the 54th minute, stretching to turn in a cross from Aditya Lalage. Hardik Singh then scored twice in the closing moments. His first goal came in the 60th minute after Bangladesh had blocked a penalty-corner attempt. Moments later, he finished a move initiated by Harmanpreet and developed through Dilpreet to complete the 13-0 scoreline.
The comprehensive victory showcased India’s attacking depth, penalty-corner efficiency and ability to sustain pressure across all four quarters.
Punjab welcomes international hockey in grand style:
The opening match was preceded by a glittering ceremony marking the return of international hockey to Punjab.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann unveiled the Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 trophy. He was felicitated by Bhola Nath Singh, Vice President of the Asian Hockey Federation and Secretary General of Hockey India, and Nitin Kohli, President of Hockey Punjab and Associate Vice President of Hockey India.
The ceremony celebrated Punjab’s cultural heritage through vibrant Bhangra and Giddha performances, demonstrations of Gatka, the traditional Sikh martial art, and a musical performance by Punjabi singer Ninja. Fireworks added to the celebrations as Jalandhar welcomed Asia’s leading hockey teams.
The passionate home supporters provided a fitting backdrop to India’s opening-day performance, with the Indian Tricolour prominently displayed across the stands.
India top the standings after opening day:
The opening day also witnessed two closely contested encounters. Malaysia edged past China 5-4, while Japan defeated South Korea 3-2.
India finished the day at the top of the standings with three points and a goal difference of +13.
The six-team tournament follows a single round-robin format, with every team playing the other five sides once. The top four teams at the end of the league stage will qualify for the semi-finals.
India will face China next on October 29 at 7 pm IST, following a scheduled rest day on October 28. The league matches will continue in Jalandhar until November 2 before the competition moves to the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali.
The semi-finals are scheduled for November 4, followed by the bronze-medal and gold-medal matches on November 5.
A powerful start to the title defence:
India’s 13-0 victory provides an emphatic opening to their campaign, combining clinical finishing with sustained attacking pressure. As the tournament progresses, the defending champions will look to carry that momentum into the remaining league fixtures.
Yet the opening night will also be remembered for Nilakanta Sharma’s retirement announcement, adding an emotional dimension to a landmark evening for Indian hockey in Punjab.
Photo : Hockey India
