Chandigarh/Jalandhar, October 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Asian Champions Trophy, being hosted in Punjab for the first time, has entered its final league-stage phase, with India and Malaysia securing semi-final berths after winning all three of their matches so far.
Each of the six participating teams has played three matches, with two league fixtures remaining for every side. The remaining six matches will be held at Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar on November 1 and 2. Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh currently leads the tournament’s goal-scoring chart with five goals.
The tournament has brought top-level Asian hockey to Punjab, fulfilling the long-standing wish of Indian players to compete in an international event on home soil. The event has been organised following the efforts of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, according to the state government.
Saturday was a rest day, with no matches scheduled. However, teams from China, South Korea and Bangladesh held practice sessions.
The league-stage fixtures will resume on November 1, with South Korea facing Bangladesh at 2.30 pm, China taking on Japan at 4.45 pm, and India meeting Malaysia at 7 pm.
On November 2, China will play Bangladesh at 2.30 pm, Malaysia will face Japan at 4.45 pm, and India will take on South Korea at 7 pm.
India lead the points table on goal difference, with Malaysia in second place. Japan are third with two wins, while South Korea occupy fourth place with one victory. China and Bangladesh are yet to register a win.
The top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals, while the sides finishing fifth and sixth will compete for the fifth-place position. The knockout-stage matches will be played at Olympian Balbir Singh Senior Stadium in Mohali on November 4 and 5.
Nine matches have been played so far, and all have produced decisive results, with no draws recorded. A total of 54 goals have been scored, averaging six per match. These include 28 field goals, 23 goals from penalty corners and three penalty strokes.
India have been the tournament’s highest-scoring team, with 22 goals scored and three conceded. Malaysia have scored 14 and conceded six. China have scored seven and conceded 12, while Japan have scored five and conceded six. South Korea have also scored five, conceding seven. Bangladesh have scored just once while conceding 20 goals.
India and Japan are the only teams to have kept a clean sheet in an individual match so far, with both achieving the feat against Bangladesh.
In the individual scoring standings, Harmanpreet Singh leads with five goals in three matches. Malaysia’s Abu Kamal Azrai is second with four goals.
India’s Mandeep Singh and Abhishek, along with Malaysia’s Akhimullah and Azimuddin, have scored three goals each. Mandeep Singh has also registered the tournament’s only hat-trick so far, scoring three times in India’s opening match against Bangladesh.
India’s Hardik Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Jugraj Singh and Dilpreet Singh, China’s Chongcong Chen and Benhai Chen, and Malaysia’s Faizal Saari have scored two goals each.
Another 19 players have scored one goal apiece, taking the total number of players on the tournament’s goal-scorers list to 32.
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