Captain Harmanpreet Singh struck twice as India produced a commanding performance to defeat Malaysia 5-1 and claim the men’s hockey gold medal at the Asian Games on Saturday.
The emphatic victory secured India’s second Asian Games men’s hockey title and also confirmed the team’s qualification for the 2028 Olympics.
India’s triumph completed a historic double for the country in hockey, coming just a day after the women’s team defeated higher-ranked defending champion China 1-0 in the final. The women ended a 44-year wait for the Asian Games title and also secured their place at the 2028 Olympics.
It is the first time India’s men’s and women’s hockey teams have both won gold at the same edition of the continental event.
Harmanpreet led from the front in the men’s final, scoring a brace as India dominated Malaysia to complete its campaign in emphatic fashion. The five-goal performance ensured there was little doubt about the outcome and gave the team both the continental crown and the important Olympic qualification spot.
Following the men’s success, Hockey India announced a cash reward of Rs. 11 lakh for each player, while members of the support staff will receive Rs. 5.5 lakh each.
The announcement followed an increase in rewards for the women’s team after Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey praised its performance in Aichi Nagoya.
“After 24 years, India has won gold in women’s hockey. They last won in the 1982 edition. Today, they beat China, in what was a brilliant performance, to clinch gold. I want to congratulate every single player and staff member of the Indian women’s hockey team. Earlier, Hockey India had announced a cash reward of Rs. 10 Lakh for each player. But after seeing their performance, we have increased that by Rs. 1 Lakh. I thank Odisha Government and the Sports Ministry for their support. Many congratulations to the team for securing a spot in the 2028 LA Olympics as well,” Tirkey said a day earlier.
With both teams now crowned Asian Games champions, Indian hockey completed a memorable campaign. More importantly, the two gold medals mean both the men’s and women’s teams have secured their places at the 2028 Olympics, giving India a major boost ahead of the Los Angeles Games.
