India men's hockey team defeats Indonesia 13-1 at Asian Games

The Indian men’s hockey team opened their 20th Asian Games campaign with a 13-1 victory over Indonesia in a Pool A fixture at Kawasaki Juko Stadium. Dilpreet Singh led the scoring with four goals, while eight different players contributed to the total.

India established an early lead through Shilanand Lakra and Abhishek, eventually reaching a 7-0 advantage by halftime. Indonesia’s lone goal came in the third quarter via a penalty corner from captain Aulia Al Ardh. India responded quickly to regain momentum, with Singh and Lakra scoring further goals to secure the dominant win.

Despite high international rankings, the Indian hockey teams have historically faced challenges in converting dominance into Asian Games gold. While the men have won the title twice in the last six editions, the team has previously suffered significant setbacks in knockout stages, such as the 2018 semi-final loss to Malaysia.