India launched their
The tone for the evening was set early by captain Harmanpreet Singh, who opened the scoring in the second minute. The Indian side maintained relentless pressure throughout the contest, establishing a four-goal cushion within the first quarter and extending their lead to 6-0 by the halftime interval. The performance was particularly significant for the five players in the squad who began their careers on the local turf, with
A Clinical Display of Offensive Hockey
The scoring was spread across the lineup, reflecting a dominant team effort. Beyond Mandeep Singh’s hat-trick, Dilpreet Singh added two goals, while Hardik Singh also found the net twice in the closing stages. Additional goals were provided by Shilanand Lakra, Abhishek, Nilakanta Sharma, and Jugraj Singh. The defensive unit, anchored by Jarmanpreet Singh and Amit Rohidas, remained untroubled throughout the match as Bangladesh struggled to penetrate the Indian half.
Following the match, Nilakanta Sharma confirmed his intention to retire from international hockey at the conclusion of the current tournament. The evening’s proceedings were rounded off by a drone display celebrating the region's cultural and sporting heritage, providing a festive atmosphere for the capacity crowd. In other tournament action, Malaysia edged past China in a 5-4 thriller, while Japan secured a narrow 3-2 win against Korea.
