National Times Bureau, September 1, 2025: India stormed into the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup hockey tournament with a commanding 15-0 victory over Kazakhstan on Monday, extending their unbeaten run in the group stage.
Abhishek starred with four goals, striking in the 5th, 8th, 20th, and 59th minutes, while Sukhjeet Singh (15th, 32nd, 38th) and Jugraj Singh (24th, 31st, 47th) also completed hat-tricks. Skipper Harmanpreet Singh (26th), Amit Rohidas (29th), Rajinder Singh (32nd), Sanjay Singh (54th), and Dilpreet Singh (55th) added to the tally in an utterly one-sided contest.
India, who topped Pool A, dominated from the start and led 7-0 at halftime after scoring four goals in the second quarter. Abhishek’s early hat-trick set the tone, with Sukhjeet and Jugraj adding their own triples as Kazakhstan struggled to withstand India’s relentless attack.
Having already beaten China and Japan in their earlier matches, India’s emphatic win sealed their entry into the next stage with a flawless record. The Asia Cup winner will earn direct qualification for next year’s Hockey World Cup, co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands.
