India Crush Canada 14–3 to Enter Sultan Azlan Shah Cup Final

The Indian senior men’s hockey team stormed into the final of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup with a commanding 14–3 victory over Canada in a high-scoring clash on Saturday. The win capped an impressive group-stage campaign in which India bounced back strongly from a narrow one-goal loss to Belgium, followed by a confidence-boosting 3–2 triumph over New Zealand.

India made their intentions clear from the start. Nilakanta Sharma struck in the fourth minute, giving India an early lead. The momentum continued as Rajinder Singh, who has been in excellent form since breaking into the senior squad, doubled the advantage in the 10th minute.

Canada, however, hit back quickly. Just a minute after Rajinder’s goal, Brendan Gurliuk converted a perfectly executed penalty corner, signalling that Canada would not go down without a fight. But India responded with greater intensity. Jugraj Singh scored in the 12th minute, followed by Amit Rohidas in the 15th, giving India a strong 4–1 lead by the end of the opening quarter.

With senior players rested for the tournament, the younger members of the squad stepped up admirably, showcasing composure and creativity. The second quarter saw India completely dominate the proceedings, unleashing a flurry of goals. Rajinder scored again in the 24th minute, Dilpreet Singh added another in the 25th, and Jugraj grabbed his second in the 26th, pushing India to a commanding 7–1 halftime lead.

Canada attempted a comeback in the third quarter by tightening their attack. Their efforts earned them a penalty stroke in the 35th minute, which Mathieu Sarmento successfully converted, reducing the margin to 7–2. But India quickly extinguished any hopes of a Canadian resurgence. Jugraj completed his hat-trick in the 39th minute, and Selvam Karthi netted another four minutes later, making it 9–2 heading into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter turned into a goal fest, with both teams increasing their tempo. India continued to dominate, beginning with Amit Rohidas converting a penalty corner in the 46th minute. Jugraj added to his tally by converting a penalty stroke in the 50th minute. Canada responded through Jyot Swaroop Sidhu, scoring their third goal to make it 3–11, but India remained relentless.

Sanjay extended the lead with a penalty stroke in the 56th minute, and Abhishek sealed the emphatic win with back-to-back goals in the 57th and 59th minutes, completing the rout.

With this 14–3 victory, India finish atop the pool standings and march confidently into the final, showcasing exceptional depth, discipline, and attacking firepower.