Representative image. Axxter99, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Why it matters
India are the defending champions and are playing the tournament at home in Punjab, with free entry for spectators at both venues, Hockey India has said. The 13-goal start leaves them top of the table on goal difference after day one, level on three points with Malaysia and Japan. Only the top four of the six teams reach the semi-finals in Mohali.
India began the defence of their Asian Champions Trophy title with a 13-0 win over Bangladesh in Jalandhar on Tuesday, 27 October 2026. Mandeep Singh scored a hat-trick, and eight different Indian players found the net at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium, Hockey India said in its match report.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh, Dilpreet Singh and vice-captain Hardik Singh scored two goals each. Shilanand Lakra, Abhishek, Nilakanta Sharma and Jugraj Singh added one apiece. India were 6-0 up at half-time.
It was the first match on home ground for the hosts in a six-team tournament that runs in Jalandhar and Mohali until 5 November. The Hindu described it as the city’s first international hockey tournament.
India vs Bangladesh hockey: how the 13 goals came
Harmanpreet opened the scoring with a drag-flick from a penalty corner in the second minute. A penalty corner is a set piece awarded to the attacking side, usually for a defending foul in or near the scoring circle. A minute later he slipped a pass to Mandeep Singh at the top of the circle, and Mandeep finished with a reverse hit.
Mandeep struck again in the 10th minute after a long aerial ball from Harmanpreet reached Abhishek, who fed him inside the circle. Lakra made it 4-0 just before the first quarter ended. A stray dog then ran onto the pitch and briefly held up the start of the second quarter, according to the Press Trust of India (PTI).
The third quarter was the quietest stretch until a burst late in it. Bangladesh kept the ball for longer spells, Hockey India’s report said, before Dilpreet scored twice in the 43rd and 44th minutes and Harmanpreet converted another penalty corner in the 44th. Hardik scored both of his goals in the final minute.
| Minute | Scorer | Score | Quarter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Harmanpreet Singh (PC) | 1-0 | 1st |
| 3 | Mandeep Singh | 2-0 | 1st |
| 10 | Mandeep Singh | 3-0 | 1st |
| 15 | Shilanand Lakra | 4-0 | 1st |
| 18 | Abhishek | 5-0 | 2nd |
| 26 | Nilakanta Sharma | 6-0 | 2nd |
| 43 | Dilpreet Singh (PC) | 7-0 | 3rd |
| 44 | Dilpreet Singh | 8-0 | 3rd |
| 44 | Harmanpreet Singh (PC) | 9-0 | 3rd |
| 46 | Jugraj Singh (PC) | 10-0 | 4th |
| 54 | Mandeep Singh | 11-0 | 4th |
| 60 | Hardik Singh | 12-0 | 4th |
| 60 | Hardik Singh | 13-0 | 4th |
By NewsPlainly’s count from that scoresheet, India scored four goals in the first quarter, two in the second, three in the third and four in the fourth. Four of the 13 came from penalty corners: two by Harmanpreet and one each by Dilpreet and Jugraj. The other nine came from open play.
Mandeep Singh’s hat-trick and the talk about senior players
Mandeep Singh’s three goals came in the third, 10th and 54th minutes. He also set up others: Hockey India’s report says his pass on the left led to Abhishek’s goal in the 18th minute, and The Hindu wrote that he created as many goals as he scored.
The hat-trick came against a background of talk about the older players in the squad. Sportstar reported that Mandeep Singh was one of four seniors said to be in the firing line, and that Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh and Harmanpreet have both denied any plan to phase players out, calling the reports false rumours.
Bangladesh goalkeeper Ashraful Shad kept the score from going higher, with saves against Nilakanta and Mandeep in the second quarter, PTI reported.
Nilakanta Sharma’s last tournament for India
The night also brought a farewell announcement. Nilakanta Sharma, the 31-year-old midfielder from Manipur, said he will retire from international hockey after this tournament, Hockey India said in a separate release. The match was his 163rd for India, and his reverse-stick shot from the top of the circle in the 26th minute was his 20th international goal.
Nilakanta was part of the team that won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, ending India’s 41-year wait for an Olympic hockey medal, and of the Asian Games gold-winning sides in Hangzhou in 2022 and in Japan this month. He told Hockey India he had discussed the decision with the coach during the Asian Games. “I told him that I want to bid adieu in the next tournament because I feel it’s the right time for me,” he said, adding that he hopes to help the game grow in Manipur.
Asian Champions Trophy schedule: India face China next
The Asian Champions Trophy is a single round-robin league: each of the six teams plays the other five once, and the top four go through to the semi-finals. India’s 13-goal margin puts them top of the table after day one with three points and a goal difference of plus 13. Malaysia beat China 5-4 and Japan beat South Korea 3-2 in the other opening games, so 27 goals were scored on the first day, the Asian Hockey Federation said.
| Date | India’s opponent | Start (IST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 October | China | 7 pm | Jalandhar |
| 30 October | Japan | 7 pm | Jalandhar |
| 1 November | Malaysia | 7 pm | Jalandhar |
| 2 November | South Korea | 7 pm | Jalandhar |
| 4 November | Semi-finals (top four) | To be set | Mohali |
| 5 November | Bronze and gold medal matches | To be set | Mohali |
October 28 is a rest day. China, India’s next opponents, lost 5-4 to Malaysia on the opening day; two of their four goals were penalty corners converted by Chen Benhai, according to the federation’s day-one report. Malaysia, who India meet on 1 November, finished second to India at the Asian Games this month.
Where India’s title defence stands
India have won the Asian Champions Trophy five times, in 2011, 2016, 2018 (shared with Pakistan after the final in Muscat was rained off), 2023 and 2024, according to Hockey India. The last final, in Hulunbuir in China, was won 1-0 against the hosts with a goal from Jugraj Singh. This year’s event is the ninth edition, and a win would be India’s third title in a row.
The side coached by Craig Fulton is without former captain Manpreet Singh, who was ruled out with a calf injury before the tournament and replaced by midfielder Vivek Sagar Prasad, Hockey India said. Entry for spectators is free at both venues, and the matches are shown on Star Sports 2 and streamed on JioHotstar.
Frequently asked questions
What was the score in India vs Bangladesh at the Asian Champions Trophy?
India won 13-0 at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar on 27 October 2026. They led 6-0 at half-time.
Who scored for India against Bangladesh?
Mandeep Singh scored three; Harmanpreet Singh, Dilpreet Singh and Hardik Singh two each; Shilanand Lakra, Abhishek, Nilakanta Sharma and Jugraj Singh one each, Hockey India said.
When is India's next Asian Champions Trophy match?
India play China on 29 October 2026 at 7 pm IST in Jalandhar. Star Sports 2 and JioHotstar are showing the tournament, according to Hockey India.
How many times have India won the Asian Champions Trophy?
Five times: 2011, 2016, 2018 (shared with Pakistan), 2023 and 2024, according to Hockey India.