Capt Harmanpreet Singh & Mandeep Singh lead the charge with Hat-Trick

HANGZHOU: The Indian men's hockey team secured a resounding victory over Singapore with a scoreline of 16.1 during the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou. The team showcased exceptional teamwork and offensive strength, maintaining their unbeaten run in the tournament.

The Tokyo Olympics bronze medalists and the current world number three team dominated the match against Singapore, a team ranked 49th in the world. Leading from the front, Captain Harmanpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh contributed significantly to the emphatic win by securing hat-tricks. Harmanpreet showcased exceptional form, finding the net four times in the 24th, 39th, 40th, and 42nd minutes. Mandeep Singh displayed his scoring prowess with three goals in the 12th, 30th, and 51st minutes.

The goal-scoring spree continued with Varun Kumar contributing two goals in the 55th minute, Abhishek scoring twice in the 51st and 52nd minutes, and additional goals from VS Prasad (23rd minute), Gurjant Singh (22nd minute), Lalit Upadhyay (16th minute), Shamsher Singh (38th minute), and Manpreet Singh (37th minute). On the other side, Singapore managed to secure a solitary goal, credited to Mohammed Zaki bin Zulkarnain.

The match highlighted the stark contrast in rankings and performance levels between the two teams, reaffirming India's dominance. Following this comprehensive win, India's next match is scheduled for September 28, where they will face Japan in the league match of Pool A.