India’s Abhishek (R) who scored the fourth aim in opposition to Pakistan within the Hockey semifinal match within the Asian Video games at Gifu, Japan on October 01, 2026.
| Picture Credit score: R. V. Moorthy
When the Indian males’s hockey crew takes on Malaysia within the closing of the Asian Video games, it might be clear favorite, based mostly on rankings and up to date previous. It could do nicely to be cautious of complacency.
The final time the 2 groups confronted off within the Asian Video games was eight years in the past. India had gone into the 2018 version as sizzling favourites, steamrolled each opposition after which paid the value for taking issues too casually, taking place in sudden dying shoot-out to accept bronze.
Since then, India has received each certainly one of their 9 matches and two Olympic medals. None of it can matter when the gamers step out on the turf on the Gifu Prefectural Inexperienced Stadium on Saturday.
Each have been unbeaten by means of the competitors thus far. Each survived nervy semifinals, in opposition to Pakistan and Korea respectively, to achieve the title conflict. Each will likely be determined to show the hiccups had been an aberration. Each will likely be vying to seal that treasured ticket to the LA Olympics. Solely certainly one of them will likely be profitable.
India obtained a wake-up name in opposition to a preventing Pakistan, dropping its form, tempo and management within the closing 20 minutes after main 3-0. It was a lesson in what can occur when groups begin celebrating too early or assume a consequence earlier than the ultimate whistle.
Malaysia, in the meantime, needed to dig deep to discover a well beyond a cussed Korean defence, counting on a penalty nook and a penalty stroke. They’d be hoping to keep away from a repeat.
Malaysia has by no means received the marquee continental occasion. India has by no means defended its title. It stays to be seen which document will get lastly damaged.
When the Indian males’s hockey crew takes on Malaysia within the closing of the Asian Video games, it might be clear favorite, based mostly on rankings and up to date previous. It could do nicely to be cautious of complacency.
The final time the 2 groups confronted off within the Asian Video games was eight years in the past. India had gone into the 2018 version as sizzling favourites, steamrolled each opposition after which paid the value for taking issues too casually, taking place in sudden dying shoot-out to accept bronze.
Since then, India has received each certainly one of their 9 matches and two Olympic medals. None of it can matter when the gamers step out on the turf on the Gifu Prefectural Inexperienced Stadium on Saturday.
Each have been unbeaten by means of the competitors thus far. Each survived nervy semifinals, in opposition to Pakistan and Korea respectively, to achieve the title conflict. Each will likely be determined to show the hiccups had been an aberration. Each will likely be vying to seal that treasured ticket to the LA Olympics. Solely certainly one of them will likely be profitable.
India obtained a wake-up name in opposition to a preventing Pakistan, dropping its form, tempo and management within the closing 20 minutes after main 3-0. It was a lesson in what can occur when groups begin celebrating too early or assume a consequence earlier than the ultimate whistle.
Malaysia, in the meantime, needed to dig deep to discover a well beyond a cussed Korean defence, counting on a penalty nook and a penalty stroke. They’d be hoping to keep away from a repeat.
Malaysia has by no means received the marquee continental occasion. India has by no means defended its title. It stays to be seen which document will get lastly damaged.
Revealed – October 03, 2026 12:30 am IST
