India’s men’s hockey team has done it! They clinched the Asia Cup title with a thrilling 4-1 victory over South Korea in the final at Rajgir Sports Complex on Sunday. The stadium buzzed with excitement as locals packed the stands to cheer on the home heroes. Hockey India is rewarding the players with Rs 3 lakh each, while the support staff gets Rs 1.5 lakh per member. This win ends an eight-year drought for India in the continent and secures their spot in the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 in the Netherlands and Belgium.
The last Asia Cup triumph for India came back in 2017 in Dhaka. In this summit clash, Dilpreet Singh shone bright with two goals (28th and 45th minutes), joined by Sukhjeet Singh (1st minute) and Amit Rohidas (50th minute). South Korea pulled one back in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to stop India’s charge.
The match kicked off with fireworks right away. Just 30 seconds in, Sukhjeet Singh smashed home a tomahawk shot after a pinpoint assist from captain Harmanpreet Singh, beating Korean goalkeeper Jaehan Kim. The first quarter stayed action-packed, with India earning a penalty stroke late on thanks to Mandeep Singh’s shot being fouled by a deliberate stick-check. Jugraj Singh stepped up, but Jaehan padded it away.
Korea tightened up in the second quarter, slowing India’s momentum. Jugraj picked up a green card, but young midfielder Rajinder Singh won India their first penalty corner (PC) in the 19th minute. Korea’s smart review denied it, though. Things quieted down until the 28th minute, when Dilpreet broke through. Harmanpreet lofted a long ball to Sanjay, who set up Dilpreet perfectly. He slipped it between the goalie’s legs for a 2-0 lead that had fans roaring.
After halftime, India started the third quarter short-handed with Sanjay on a green card. They quickly won a PC after a Korean foot foul, but umpires overturned it when Mandeep’s shin touched the ball first. India’s forwards kept probing, and in the 45th minute, Dilpreet struck again with clever stickwork off a Harmanpreet pass. Raj Kumar Pal got a shot away, but Dilpreet turned it in for goal number three, sparking wild celebrations around the complex.
Dilpreet kept the pressure on, earning a PC that Amit Rohidas converted masterfully. Korea fought back early in the fourth with a slick PC variation—Yang Jihun faked a flick, passed to Lee Jungjun, who set up Son Dain for the score. But India stayed composed, holding firm in the final minutes to seal the Asia Cup win and spark joy across the nation. What a performance from the Indian men’s hockey team!
