समाचार Samāchār · Sports · 27 October 2026

India open their Asian Champions Trophy defence with a 13-0 win over Bangladesh

Eight different players scored in Jalandhar. Mandeep Singh found form with a hat-trick as the defending champions led 6-0 at half-time.

India won 13-0

India began their Asian Champions Trophy defence with a 13-0 win over Bangladesh in Jalandhar on Tuesday. The match at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium was settled early. India led 6-0 at half-time. This is the ninth edition of the tournament. Six teams are playing in Punjab: India, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, China and Bangladesh.

Captain Harmanpreet Singh opened the scoring from a penalty corner in the second minute. Mandeep Singh scored a hat-trick, a welcome return to form. Harmanpreet, Dilpreet Singh and vice-captain Hardik Singh scored two each. Shilanand Lakra, Abhishek, Nilakanta Sharma and Jugraj Singh scored one each. Hardik struck twice in the final minute.

The scoreline matters less than its spread. Eight players found the net. Forwards, midfielders and defenders all contributed. That depth is what a defending champion needs across a round-robin and knockout run. Credit goes to the players and to the coaching staff who have built a squad that does not depend on one or two names.

Harder tests are ahead. India play China on Thursday. Korea, Japan and Malaysia will not concede space the way Bangladesh did. The vijay tonight is a clean start. The title will be won in the matches that follow.

What a founder takes from it: A rout against a weaker side proves little on its own. What counts is depth: eight scorers means the load is spread, and that is how a team holds a title through a long tournament. Founders should read it the same way. A business that wins only through its top two people is fragile.