Hockey India announces Rs 3 lakhs each to players following Asia Cup triumph in Rajgir

RAJGIR(Patna): Following the Indian Men’s Hockey Team’s historic win at the Asia Cup Rajgir, Bihar 2025, Hockey India announced INR 3 lakh each to players and INR 1.5 lakh to the support staff, as per a release from Hockey India.

Indian Men’s Hockey Team were crowned the Asia Cup Rajgir, Bihar 2025 winners after they convincingly beat Korea 4-1 in an exciting final here at the Rajgir Sports Complex on Sunday with the stadium packed to the brim as locals turned up in large numbers to cheer the home team. With this win, India have ended the eight-year long wait to regain supremacy in the continent. With this win, India have qualified for the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 in Netherlands and Belgium.

The last time they won the Asia Cup was in 2017, Dhaka. Goals were scored by Dilpreet Singh (28′,45′), Sukhjeet Singh (1′) and Amit Rohidas (50′).

India got off to a rocking start with Sukhjeet Singh scoring for the hosts within 30 seconds of the start of the game. It was a fine assist from captain Harmanpreet Singh which was picked up brilliantly by the forward and powerfully struck a tomahawk past the Korean goalie Jaehan Kim. There was plenty of action in the opening quarter, with India being awarded a penalty stroke with about six minutes left for the first hooter. This was an opportunity that was created by Mandeep Singh when he was taking a shot on goal when a deliberate stick-check by Korean defender saw them being awarded the stroke. But the opportunity went begging with Jugraj Singh flick being padded away by Jaehan.

The second quarter saw Korea slow down India. Jugraj was also seen being given a green card but young midfielder Rajinder Singh helped India win their first PC in the 19th minute. But a good review by Korea meant that India was denied this chance. After a brief lull in the second quarter with both teams unable to find substantial attack, Dilpreet Singh broke the gridlock when he struck in the 28th minute. It was a long ball by Harmanpreet Singh, received well by Sanjay who lofted it to Dilpreet. He took a brief moment to position himself well enough to find the gaps in-between the goalie’s legs and earned India that much-needed 2-0 lead.

Changing sides after half-time, India got the ball rolling in the third quarter with just 10 men of the field as Sanjay had been awarded a green card just seconds before the second hooter. Only three minutes into the third quarter, India won a PC after Korean foot in the circle. But the decision to award India a PC was overturned by the on-field umpire after Mandeep’s shin hit the ball first before finding the Korean foot. There were a few chances created in the following minutes as India’s forwardline took turns to make forays into the Korean circle but a breakthrough came only in the 45th minute and again, it was Dilpreet who struck a fine goal. It was clever stickwork from Dilpreet that called for grand celebrations around the Rajgir Sports Complex.

It was Harmanpreet Singh, who was the play maker yet again with a clever pass into the centre of the goal, Raj Kumar Pal getting a shot on but eventually it was Dilpreet who turned it in. Dilpreet remained the cynosure of India’s attack in the final as he created a PC which was splendidly converted by Amit Rohidas. But at the start of the fourth quarter, Korea converted a goal after a good variation in PC. Yang Jihun fakes the flick, played it back to the injector Lee Jungjun who eventually passed it to Son Dain to score. The 4-1 scoreline hardly affected India’s determination to lift the title. They held on to the lead in the dying minutes to end the eight-year long wait. (ANI)