India are the three-time Champions of the Hockey Asia Cup and face the most successful team in the tournament’s history, South Korea, who have won five titles. With a World Cup spot on the line, India look to reclaim their Asian glory in the final in Rajgir.
India are peaking at the right time in the Hockey Asia Cup 2025. From starting their tournament against China with a hard-fought 4-3 win, to breezing past the same opponent 7-0 in the Super Fours, Harmanpreet Singh’s men look in good form to reclaim the Asian glory.
India came into this tournament after losing a record seven back-to-back games in the European leg of the FIH Pro League with just one win in eight matches. The result had forced head coach Craig Fulton to field a full-strength Indian side in the Asia Cup in which he called the “most important tournament of the year.”
The Men in Blue looked rusty at the start with a tight win over China and then another close one of 3-2 over Japan. The attackers found it hard to break through the opposition’s defence as their Asian opponents generally defend low.ย
India then ran through minnows Kazakhstan with a thumping 15-0 win to end their group stage. Things seemed to be streamlined in a similar way when they entered the Super Four as they drew 2-2 against Korea. However, there was a major turnaround in their second and third games.ย
The Indians found their A game and, despite trailing Malaysia early in the match, they dug deep to produce a brilliant performance to win the match 4-1. From initially finding goals through penalty corner, the Men in Blue scored some crucial on-field goals, right from the Kazakhstan game.
High on confidence, India locked horns against China and blew them apart. Captain Harmanpreet played a brilliant, supportive role in helping the players with his aerial passes and quick ground strokes to set up the goals. While he did not score once in the seven goals India netted, he was the vital cog in the victory over the Chinese.ย
Coming into the final, India have found their game after lacking it in the initial stages, part of which was also due to the heat in the city. But now they have assembled the pieces together and are looking good to reclaim the Asia glory that they last won in 2017.ย
A win on Sunday will not only give India their fourth Hockey title, but it will also ensure them a spot in the World Cup next year in Belgium and the Netherlands. After having put on a horror show in Europe in the FIH, India look destined to clinch the only World Cup place that the Asia Cup offers to the winner. And also to clinch back their title from the Koreans.