New Delhi: India produced a dominating performance against Kazakhstan to beat them 15-0 in their last group stage match at the Rajgir Sports Complex in Patna on September 1, Monday.
A total of eight players scored a goal in the game, including three players who scored a hat-trick. It was a proper, ruthless show for the hosts as they didn’t give a single chance to Kazakhstan and knocked them out of the tournament.
This was the eighth occasion when the Indian team scored over 10 goals in the Asia Cup history. India’s forward finally got the rhythm in the Asia Cup, as the forwards were lacking in scoring field goals in the ongoing tournament.
In the first two matches, India scored only one field goal. But the fortunes changed in the last league stage game as Abhishek scored an amazing goal with his trademark shot in the fifth minute.
After the opening goal, Abhishek scored another brace three minutes later from a similar position. India got the first penalty corner of the match in the final minutes of the first quarter. Harmanpreet couldn’t convert the penalty corner, but later on, Sukhpreet tapped an easy goal, assisted by Abhishek.
The Kazakhs got their first opportunity as they secured a penalty corner but failed to score. Indian skipper missed another penalty corner in the 18th minute as his shot hit the goalpost. Kazakhs got another chance but failed to capitalise on the second penalty corner.
India’s Jugraj converted the first penalty corner of the match and made it 5-0 for the hosts. Indian skipper finally converted a penalty corner before the half-time to make the score 6-0. India finished the first half 7-0.
Jugraj completed his hat-trick in the fourth quarter, and the humiliation final ended with 15-0 for the Kazakhs players after the final whistle.
Asia Cup 2025 Super 4s
India joined China from their Pool A, and Malaysia and defending champions Korea from Pool B in the Super 4. The Super 4s will begin on September 3, and India will look to extend their winning run as they finished the league stage on top position with three out of three wins in the group stage.
The winner of the Asia Cup 2025 will automatically qualify for the FIH World Cup 2026.