India defeats Bangladesh 13-0 in Asian Champions Trophy opener

India began their Asian Champions Trophy title defence with a dominant 13-0 victory over Bangladesh at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar. Mandeep Singh led the scoring with a hat-trick, while captain Harmanpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, and Dilpreet Singh each scored two goals.

Other goals were contributed by Abhishek, Shilanand Lakra, Nilakanta Sharma, and Jugraj Singh. The match was characterized by Indian dominance, with most play occurring in the Bangladesh half. Following the match, midfielder Nilakanta Sharma announced his retirement from international hockey, noting that his career will conclude at the end of this tournament.

In other tournament results, Malaysia defeated China 5-4, and Japan secured a 3-2 win over South Korea. India is scheduled to face China in their next match on October 29.