India defeated Bangladesh 13-0, while Malaysia and Japan secured narrow victories on an opening day that produced 27 goals at the Asian Champions Trophy in Punjab.
Malaysia edged China 5-4, with Faizal Saari converting a second-half penalty stroke, while Japan beat South Korea 3-2.
Mandeep Singh scored a hat trick for India, including two goals in the first quarter. Harmanpreet Singh, Dilpreet Singh and Hardik each added two goals, while Shila Nand Lakra, Abhishek, Nila Kanta Sharma and Jugraj Singh contributed one apiece.
India took a 2-0 lead within the opening three minutes through captain Harmanpreet and Mandeep. Further goals from Mandeep and Lakra extended the advantage to 4-0 by the end of the first quarter.
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Abhishek made it 5-0 in the second quarter, and Sharma scored in the 26th minute to give India a 6-0 halftime lead.
Dilpreet added two goals in quick succession in the third quarter, first scoring from a rebound and then with a reverse-stick flick to make it 8-0 in the 43rd minute.
Harmanpreet converted a penalty corner a minute later, beating Bangladesh goalkeeper Ashraful Shad. Jugraj then scored from India’s seventh penalty corner to extend the lead to 10-0.
Mandeep completed his hat trick with a field goal in the 54th minute. Hardik scored the final two goals, the first from a rebound and the second from open play, to complete the 13-0 victory.
India, the Asian Games gold medalist, played without the injured Manpreet Singh and goalkeeper Mohit. Krishan Gopal Pathak took Mohit’s place in goal.
In Malaysia’s victory over China, Kamaal Abu Azuri scored twice in the first quarter before Saari’s second-half penalty stroke helped secure the win.
The opening day also featured a ceremony attended by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. Punjabi folk songs, bhangra and giddha performances, and a drone display were among the highlights.
Hockey India’s secretary-general and director-general accompanied Mann, while former Olympians and international players also attended.
Punjab Hockey President Nitin Kohli credited Mann’s support with helping bring the Asian Champions Trophy to the state.
Those attending included Harpreet Singh, Baljit Dhillon, Daljit Dhillon, Gaganajit Singh, Jagdeep Gill, Col. Balbir Singh, Amrik Singh Powar, Ripudaman Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Jugraj Singh Senior, Lakhwinder Singh, and national selectors R.P. Singh and Balwinder Singh Shammi.
Before the first quarter of the India-Bangladesh match ended, a dog ran onto the field amid fireworks, drumming and music. It was eventually guided out through an opening beside an advertising hoarding.
