Jalandhar, Nov 2026 : Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh struck a brilliant hat-trick as hosts India defeated Malaysia 4-2 to register their fourth consecutive victory in the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium on Sunday.
The contest featured the tournament’s two unbeaten teams, with both India and Malaysia having won their opening three matches. However, India maintained their perfect record with an impressive performance, ending Malaysia’s winning streak and strengthening their position at the top of the points table.
Harmanpreet led India’s charge, converting two penalty corners and a penalty stroke to score three goals. Forward Sukhjeet Singh contributed the fourth goal for the hosts. Malaysia found the net through Akhimullah and Shello Silverius but could not prevent their first defeat of the tournament.
India now have 12 points from four matches, with a goal difference of +21. The hosts have scored 26 goals in the competition so far. Harmanpreet has also extended his lead in the tournament’s goalscoring charts, taking his tally to eight.
In the opening match of the day, South Korea registered a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Bangladesh. The result marked Korea’s second consecutive win and took its points tally to six from four matches. Bangladesh, meanwhile, continued to struggle, suffering its fourth successive defeat and remaining without a point.
The other league encounter between China and Japan ended in a 2-2 draw. China secured its first point of the competition, while Japan moved to seven points after four matches.
Following Sunday's results, India remained at the top with 12 points, followed by Malaysia on nine. Japan occupied third place with seven points, while South Korea stood fourth with six. China had one point, and Bangladesh remained at the bottom without a point.
The final round of league matches is scheduled for Monday, November 2. China will take on Bangladesh, Japan will face Malaysia, while India will meet South Korea. All three matches will be played in Jalandhar.
The outcomes will determine the final league standings and semi-final match-ups. The knockout stage will be held in Mohali on November 4, with the tournament concluding on November 5.
