India topped Pool A with three wins in as many games, edging past China (4-3) and Japan (3-2) before crushing Kazakhstan 15-0 in their final group match. While the early performances were scratchy, the emphatic victory against Kazakhstan restored rhythm and confidence.
Korea, the most successful side in the tournament’s history, have looked out of sorts so far. They finished second in Pool B behind Malaysia, suffering a surprising 1-4 defeat to the Malaysians. Struggling with the oppressive afternoon heat and humidity, the Koreans are expected to be more formidable in the evening Super 4s fixtures, especially after Tuesday’s rest day.
India, meanwhile, clicked in every department on Monday. The forwards stood out, with Abhishek netting four goals and impressing with his sharp positioning and first-time strikes inside the circle. Sukhjeet Singh, who scored a hat-trick, dazzled with his pace and composure, while the experienced Mandeep Singh continued to shine with his stick-work. Dilpreet Singh, however, has yet to find his best form despite scoring against Kazakhstan, missing some easy chances.
Chief coach Craig Fulton expressed satisfaction with the strikers’ collective display.
“Going into the Super 4s you want your strikers connecting and scoring goals,” Fulton said.
The midfield has been led with authority by veterans Manpreet Singh and Vivek Sagar Prasad alongside Sumit and youngster Rajinder Singh. In defence, captain Harmanpreet Singh has marshalled Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, and Sanjay effectively. Goalkeepers Suraj Karkera and Krishan Bahadur Pathak have both shown improvement, with Pathak raising his game against Kazakhstan after a couple of average outings.
Penalty corner efficiency is another positive for India. All four drag-flickers – Harmanpreet, Jugraj, Sanjay and Rohidas – converted against Kazakhstan, with Jugraj bagging a hat-trick while also excelling at the back.
Still, Fulton is aware that performances against a team like Kazakhstan cannot be a true measure.
“We are full of confidence now. It was good to spend a lot of time in the final third and that’s what we wanted to get,” he said, while stressing that the “real tournament starts now.”
The Super 4s format sees India, Korea, China and Malaysia play each other once, with the top two advancing to Sunday’s final. The Asia Cup is a direct qualifier for the 2026 World Cup, to be jointly hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands from August 14 to 30.
In the other Super 4 clash, Malaysia take on an improving China earlier on Wednesday.
Teams
India: Krishan B Pathak (GK), Suraj Karkera (GK), Sumit, Jarmanpreet Singh, Sanjay, Harmanpreet Singh (C), Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Rajinder Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Mandeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Dilpreet Singh.
Korea: Daehan Ang (GK), Jihun Yang, Cheoleon Park, Jinkang Rim, Dain Son, Jungjun Lee (C), Jongsuk Bae, Seyong Oh, Jaewon Sim, Sunghyun Baek, Soung Min Bae, Jaehan Kim (GK), Geonhyo Jin, Hyeonhong Kim, Seungwoo Lee, Min Su Cheon, Yoonho Kong, Hyeseung Lee.
