India played out a 2-2 draw vs Korea. (Hockey India)India vs South Korea, Hockey Today Super 4 match at Asia Cup 2025 Rajgir Scorecard Highlights: India managed to eke out a late draw against title holders and 5-time winners Korea in their first Super 4s clash in the men’s Asia Cup on Wednesday in Rajgir. The match’s start was delayed by nearly an hour but India started brightly and vice captain Hardik Singh scored a fine solo goal to give the hosts a lead. But Korea hit back in the first quarter with a penalty stroke and penalty corner. Two goalless quarters followed but with 7 minutes to go, Mandeep Singh equalised for India from close range to salvage a point in the Super 4s round-robin match. Jihun Yang (12′) and Hyeonhong Kim (14′) scored for Korea.
India face Malaysia – now the only team with a perfect win record in the tournament after beating China 4-0 earlier – on Thursday night.
India vs South Korea Hockey Asia Cup Super 4 live streaming
India’s free scoring ways have often papered over their defensive frailties this tournament with Harmanpreet Singh and Co just edging past Japan 3-2 and china 4-3 before thrashing Kazakhstan 15-0 on Monday to end as the top team in Pool A. Korea, meanwhile, have more often than not struggled in the Rajgir heat, shockingly losing to Malaysia 4-1 to end as runners up in Pool B.
Coming into the match, India were unbeaten against the defending champions in their last five matches. However, when the two teams met at the same stage in the previous edition of the Asia Cup, it ended in a high-scoring draw, with the scoreline reading 4-4. India, who conceded seven goals in the group stage — four against China and three against Japan — will hope to tighten their backline and improve their field goals ratio. Craig Fulton’s team has scored just once from open play against the two opponents, not counting the 15-0 win over a lowly Kazakhstan in their final group-stage encounter. Read more by Mihir Vasavda here, our man on the ground in Rajgir for the men’s Asia Cup hockey tournament..
Hosts India and defending champions Korea played out a 2-2 draw in their opening Super 4s game at the Hero Men’s Asia Cup Rajgir Bihar 2025. Hardik Singh (8') and Mandeep Singh (53') were the goalscorers for India while Jihun Yang (12') and Hyeonhong Kim (14') scored for Korea.
Join us tomorrow for India vs Malaysia, 7.30 pm IST pushback.
India manage a draw, but largely, they struggled going forward. 23 circle entries and 7 shots on goal is not great conversion. Neither is 0/6 from PCs. Not a bad result but again a reminder this is not going to be easy in Rajgir.
Korea's goalkeeper Kim Jaehan is the player of the match. Some big saves from him, as he played all four quarters.
Kore vs China and Malaysia vs India on Thursday.
Two huge matches now, given this 2-2 draw between Korea and India today.
Both teams would perhaps be happy that they didn't lose the match but Korea will be pleased with their night's work. India were largely disjoint in their attacks, far too many moves breaking down inside the opponent's D. Mandeep Singh's equaliser a saving grace, a defeat would have been hugely damaging.
Next up for India, they take on Malaysia next tomorrow night at 7.30 pm. Malaysia are now the only remaining perfect team in the tournament.
FULL TIME: India huff and puff their way to a 2-2 draw against defending champions South Korea to begin their Super 4s stage. Korea good value for the result, India largely disappointing going forward.
Less than a minute to go and India give up possession far too cheaply, that will annoy Fulton. Dilpreet couldn't control the ball don the byline and this means the match is going to wind down harmlessly.
This is a full blown low block from Korea. 3 mins to go, they have the ball back but India are pressing high to win the ball back.
CHANCE FOR INDIA! Abhishek fores the turnover, hits a lovely aerial ball to Sukhjeet at the edge of the circle. He controls the ball and unleashes a shot on the volley. Great technique but the ball flies just wide.
Korea down to 10 men with 2 mins to go. They will finish most of this remainder of the matach with a player short.
Can India capitalise?
Suraj Karkera reacts to a loose pass from Korea quickly to kick the ball away. India have possession with 4 mins to go.
The draw is not a bad result for either side. Korea seem happy to sit back now and India are charging forward to find a winner.
Under 4 mins to go.
Penalty corner for Korea! AFter a good run from BAE Jongsuk down the right. Harmanpreet is not happy at all but India have no reviews left.
Korea go for a variation from the set piece but India, thanks to Harmanpreet, deal with the danger.
India lose their referral now after Vivek called for a late review. Both teams have lost their referral .
7 mins to go.
GOAAALLLLL INDIA!!!!! A sensational team goal that one. Harmanpreet Singh with a cute reverse pass from the left flank into Sukhjeet Singh who does well to turn inside the circle and release a well-hit pass to Mandeep at the far post. That's great decision-making there. Mandeep still had to bring the ball into control, he does so and taps the ball into the empty goal as the goalkeeper was taken out by the pass from Sukhjeet.
53rd minute: INDIA 2-2 KOREA
SAVE BY JAEHAN! WOW superb from Rajinder to release down the right flank. Mandeep does superbly to dribble past a couple of tackles and just as the ball was evading his control, he stretches and unleashes a reverse hit. It is on target and the brilliant Korean goalkeeper saves superbly.
Under 10 mins to go in the match now.
Sukhjeet turns well just outside the circle. Lovely work to beat two defenders and then he is brought down. India have another PC. But Harmanpreet is not on the pitch. Amit and Jugraj lineing up.
It goes to Jugraj in the 2nd battery and it is rushed out superbly.
Sukhjeet with a driving run through the middle, releases Abhishek to his right. The forward's first control is not great, and he tries to switch his tact to hit reverse but couldn't get the shot away. That goes down as another big missed chance. Shortly after Raj Kumar does well down the right channel to drop his shoulder and make some space. He finds Sukhjeet but unable to turn the ball into the net.
Some huge misses in that quarter, as Sukhjeet and Abhishek fail to convert some golden opportunities. Another goalless quarter, India have just 15 mins to turn this around.
WOW! Superb block from Jinkang Rim at the post, as he turns away Harmanpreet's drag flick. Brilliant post defending.
That brings an end to Q3 and India have just 15 more mins to turn this around.
PENALTY CORNER: It's been a while, Abhishek does well this time down the right byline to control a long pass and then finds the feet. A PC for India with Harmanpreet Singh on the pitch. Can the captain step up?
ANOTHER BIG MISS! WOW. Hardik with a sensational pass to Abhishek who is in a lot of space inside the circle. He has too much time to think about this and ends up neither testing the goalkeeper nor finding a teammate. The goal was at his mercy there.
The game is end to end at the moment. India attack with Abhishek, move breaks down. Korea counter, do really well to keep the ball and enter the circle. Move breaks down. Then India counter again. and Sukhjeet with a bad pass to Mandeep.
BIG MISS! WOW. Manpreet Singh with a sensational crossfield pass all along the ground. The ball goes all the way to Sukhjeet in front of Korea's goal, his first touch is beautiful to bring the ball under control. But his finish, as he tried to place it instead of going for power, rolls past the Korean goalkeeper Daehan who came out forward to cut the angle down.
Shortly after Abhishek has another go at goal as the ball falls to him kindly off a deflection but the reverse hit is far too high and wide.
That's a couple of massive misses. 3 mins to go in the quarter.
India's passing is just far too side-to-side at the moment. Not enough vertical passes, not able to break the Korean lines with any consistency.
A couple of attempted 3-D dribbles from Hardik down the right flank but he is marked by multiple defenders and the attempt to win PC didn't pay off. Korea going heavy on their marking of Hardik, the heart of India's attacking moves. India need to find some other options here.
India win the ball back high up down the right flank, it looked like it was Vivek who got a reverse hit away but it was blocked away. Korea go on the counter and believe they have won a PC. A review is asked for, and Korea lose their referral. There was a lot going on in the circle , but the umpire sees no stick check.
India sitting deep in this quarter. Pehaps trying to invite Korea forward then hit on the counter. Korea also deep in defence. Another India attacking move down the right and it breaks down after Dilpreet did well to win the ball back high.
CHANCE INDIA! A lovely pass down the middle from Hardik breaks the Korean lines, Mandeep finds Rajinder down the right but Abhishek is not able to lift the ball over the keeper. Good move.
No rhythm yet in India's play early in Q3. A rare mis-pass from Hardik under no pressure. Not like him. Sums up India's attacking threat today since the opening few minutes.
Here we go, the second half underway. We didn't get to hear the coaches' thoughts.
No goals in the second quarter as Korea hold on to their lead going into half time. India under some pressure here in Rajgir in the Super 4s opener.
Korea, to their credit, are not just looking to sit deep and defend this lead. A lovely aerial to the right flank down the byline and India had to be alert in defence. India look to counter with a Harmanpreet aerial, finding Hardik in space. But as another move breaks down, the hooter goes for half time.
HALF TIME: India 1-2 Korea
Jugraj and Sumit combine well down the left to release Abhishek down the left channel but the Sonepat forward is unable to control the ball while running forward. Another move breaks down in the final third.
Under 2 mins to go in the half.
CHANCE INDIA! Vivek does really well to find Harmanpreet with a long ground pass, hit superbly. Harmanpreet controls and sends the ball into D where Jarmanpreet is on the far post down the right. His slap is saved superbly by the Korean keeper. Good move. 5 mins to go in the half now.
Oh dear, India keeping the attacks going, MAnpreet does well with a good dribble and so on. But down the other end, Harmanpreet gets a green card for a 2-minute suspension. Shortly after Dilpreet nearly shoots himself in the foot by holding the ball too long deep in India's defence. Woeful decision-making, loses the ball but Korea are not able to punish India.
That's a big let off for India, they should have been 1-3 down. Nearly another shambolic individual mistake that have often cost India in recent times in the Pro League.
Hardik tries to go on a mazy run once more, is fouled and wins a free hit. His low pass into the circle is kicked away by the Korean goalkeeper. India keeping the pressure on but far too many moves breaking down in the final play.
OH WOW! NEARLY A COLLECTOR'S ITEM! Hardik feeds Harmanpreet down the left byline, the Indian captain does well to dribble into a danger area and the goal was feeling imminent. A field goal by Harman! But he scuffs his shot, completely mishits it and the play ends.
A sensational Hardik Singh solo goal gave India the lead, but Korea have stunned the home fans with 2 goals to take the lead in Q1. Goals from a penalty stroke & a penalty corner.
The second quarter is underway. Suraj Karkera between the posts now as India continue to rotate the keepers.
KIM Jaehan makes a flying save to deny Raj Kumar Pal's powerful reverse hit after a fine aerial ball from Harmanpreet Singh.
End of Q1: India 1-2 Korea
GOAL! Kim Hyeonhong! The drag flick is low, down the middle, beats Rohidas' first rush and Pathak is beaten too. Should the goalkeeper have done better there? It was close to him and he just got beaten for pace. Not a good look.
14th min: India 1-2 Korea
Korea arae playing with a swagger now. A counter is stopped by Amit but soon after they win a PC, with Mandeep Singh's foot coming in the way of a pass.
Jihun Yang goes high, inside out and Pathak dived to the wrong side. Korea have hit back before the end of Q1.
12th min: India 1-1 Korea
Oh wow. Intentional push deemed by the cideo referee after a Korean referral. And it is a penalty stroke says the video umpire. WOW. The Indians are not one bit happy. That was a rather debatable call.
Korea have a stroke with 4 mins to go.
GOAL!!! WONDER GOAL! That is Hardik Singh at his very best. A sensational solo goal from the Indian vice captain. Sukhjeet won the ball back at the halfway line as the Korean player slipped. He fed Hardik immediately. The No 8 drives forward, drops his shoulder and beats a couple of defenders to calmly tap the ball home. That is sensational.
8th min: India 1-0 Korea
Good injection and trap this time and Harmanpreet is able to get his shot away. But the first rusher does his job, it is another PC off the foot. The next attempt seems to be called for danger as Harman's flick goes above the knee.
Oh that was lovely switching of flanks from India. Vivek from left, switches play to the right and Harmanpreet comes up with a lovely piece of skill to drive forward. The final pass is not great from the right flank though. But India keep the pressure up and Abhishek does superbly at the top of the D to win another PC for India
India have quite a few players in the Korean defensive third, not exactly a full blown high press but trying to win the ball back deep, for sure. Fulton wanted to cause turnovers and score counter goals early on. Sukhjeet harries a Korean defender but it is deemed to be a foul. The intensity has however gone down a bit after that furious start. Harmanpreet's long aerial evades Manpreet down the right flank.
Was that a variation? No in fact, Manpreet was not able to trap the injection cleanly. India recycle the ball quickly but the shot on goal is blocked away by the Korean defence.
India have started on the front foot. Quite a few attacking moves already in the first couple of mins. Harmanpreet's low pass from left is aimed at Abhishek but he is unable to get a touch and the ball hits the post. India soon win their first PC of the night, nice and early.
Here we go then, the countdown begins and we have pushback after nearly an hour's delay. There is still puddles of water to be seen, this is likely to make passing a bit harder.
The players are huddling up once more. And this time it looks like we will have the pushback finally. Some fans still having a good time in the stands. Enthu crowd in Rajgir, for sure
The fans are scrambling for cover again, in the open stands. The players are once again going off the pitch it'd seem.
Mihir updates: Match to start at 8.20 pm, but there's light drizzle again as the players are warming up. And it's getting heavy, properly pouring again
Mihir Vasavda with some good news: Match to start at 8.20 pm, the players are warming up once more. Photo from the venue.
Mihir from Rajgir: Players walking back to the dugout but there's still a lot of water logging on different corners of the field. At least 24 volunteers out with wipers trying to remove it
Seems the players are getting back on the pitch but the excess water is still being removed.
HOCKEY INDIA: A sudden downpour here in Rajgir has delayed the pushback of our Super 4s clash against Korea. Stay tuned for more.
𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱... ☹️QUITE A PHOTO. When the teams were out for national anthems. (via Hockey India)
Mihir updates: Players are not back out yet. They are still removing water. And Bhojpuri songs being played, of course.
We conitnue to wait, the official broadcast has cut to highlights of India vs Kazakhstan, we might be waiting for a while.
HARMANPREET SINGH's IMPORTANCE: Harmanpreet was the player of the tournament at the 2024 Asian Champions Trophy, scoring nearly one-third of India’s goals in the triumphant campaign. And across the two legs of the Pro League, he netted half a dozen more goals to the team’s joint highest scorer in the competition along with Abhishek. With him, it’s not just about goals. Harmanpreet marshals the defence line with aplomb, giving others like Manpreet Singh and Hardik Singh the freedom to move forward. His aerial balls and sharp diagonal passes along the turf open up defences and create opportunities for the forwards. “While you have him, he’s a powerful force,” Fulton says. “But at the same time, when you don’t have him for four games (like in the Pro League last month), it makes a big difference.”
Mihir: Rain has stopped but proper water logging
Mihir updates: Poor fans, no roof so drenched in rain. Rain has reduced considerably since players left the pitch. But pitch in no condition for match to start just yet. Ground staff out with wipers now.
WOW... IT HAS GOTTEN REALLY HEAVY. Mihir updates: Match held up. Players heading in. Heavy water logging on pitch. Here's an image of Players running back to the changing room.
Oh, there has been a lot of talk about the Rajgir heat but looks like some welcome rain relief ahead of the pushback for India vs Korea. Hah, some of the Korean players have a hand over the kids standing in front of them, that is cute.
Looks like it is an absolute downpour now, wow. National anthems underway amid heavt rains.
Craig Fulton speaks before the match: Korea are a good team, like to play half court and counterattack, so we need to be good on the ball. We need to press, cause some turnovers.
A hamstring and lower back injury at the Asian Champions Trophy last year. An ankle injury during the Hockey India League, in addition to the strain caused by the earlier two niggles. A wrist injury in the Bhubaneswar leg of the FIH Pro League. And last month, during the European swing of the league, a damaged finger tissue. Or, in the words of coach Craig Fulton, ‘smashed with the ball on the finger that split his whole finger open and couldn’t hold a stick.’ “He’s had a hard time,” Fulton adds. And so has India, without their MVP Harmanpreet Singh.
Mihir Vasavda
Bhojpuri songs blaring from the speakers, confirms Mihir Vasavda from the venue. Apparently the weather has been better than the last couple of days but he adds the heat is very harsh. It's going to be a tough ask to play 4 matches in five days for all sides, India at least have the advantage of playing the 7.30 pm matches.
It's going to be a hectic few days for all teams. India will be playing four matches over the next five days, if they get to the final, it is going to test the fitness of all players.
Complacency has perhaps been one of the biggest reasons why India haven’t always translated their superiority on the field while competing in Asia. At the Asian Games, they were ruthless and got the job done at the Asian Champions Trophy last year despite playing just a month after the Olympic high.
Fulton will hope for more of the same on home soil. “We’ve just got to keep our eyes on the prize. Teams are getting better if we take our foot off the pedal. So no, the Asia Cup is full priority and we’re 100 per cent all in.”
Mihir Vasavda
Fulton has resisted calls to infuse fresh blood into the team. Unwilling to take any risks, he has gone with the tried and tested players who will face free-flowing, counter-attacking Asians over the next 10 days, demanding different skill-sets compared to playing against structurally strong Europeans. The patience of the midfielders and forwards will be tested as their opponents are likely to put men behind the ball to close gaps and look to hit India on the counterattacks, testing the defenders’ alertness. Goalkeeper Suraj Karkera, who was a part of the team when India last won the Asia Cup in 2017, warns against taking any team lightly. “As we saw in the European Championship, France beat England! That was like the biggest upset,” Karkera says. “Everybody has details on each opponent because of the data available. So, if you take any team lightly, it will cost you.”
Mihir Vasavda
Here's a look at the leading goalscorers of the tournament so far.
The Asia Cup will not just test how India handle the favourites tag, but also the bounce-backability of the team. For the first time since he became the coach, Fulton will lead the team into a competition on a string of poor results that has threatened to wipe the aura of being Olympic medallists. India lost seven out of eight matches in the European leg of the Pro League in June. They went to the competition in the Netherlands and Belgium — the co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup — hoping to finish first in the Pro League and qualify for the mega-event. But the losses, which left the team bruised, meant Fulton had to restrategise and the Asia Cup became the ‘main priority’. “We need to put all our eggs in that basket and push forward,” Fulton says.
India's forwards helped themselves a few goals, with Dilpreet Singh having a moment of relief when he scored the country's 14th goal against Kazakhstan. Abhishek and Sukhjeet were combining well as per usual. But it will be a whole different ballgame tonight.
Harmanpreet Singh stood near the half-line, looking glum. Hardik Singh frowned. Amit Rohidas looked despondent. Jarmanpreet Singh was agitated. These wouldn’t be the natural emotions the players of a winning team would display. But beyond the 4-3 scoreline in India’s favour, it was these expressions on the faces of India’s players that told a story. They knew it was a lucky escape against a team ranked outside the top 20 of the world. If the hope was to begin the Asia Cup with a statement win, all they could manage was to expose their vulnerabilities to other – more dangerous – opponents.
Harmanpreet’s side came into the tournament with an aura around them. But if Japan, Malaysia and South Korea — all of whom began with resounding wins — watched the odds-on favourites struggle against a lowly China, they would now be more optimistic about their chances of upsetting the Olympic medallists
Read more here by Mihir Vasavda from last week's India vs China match
Now China's Du Shihao with a bad stick swipe at a Malaysian's player's feet. That was really silly, perhaps overeager to win the ball back with a few seconds left. Serious misconduct, yellow, 10 mins.
And the match soon ends.
Malaysia continue their perfect start to the tournament with fourth win. Start Super 4s with a 2-0 win with two second haf goals.
India took off at the scorching speed of the Japanese Shinkansen. By the time they reached their destination, they were huffing and puffing like the good old Indian passenger train.
They can blame it on the heat — at the 3 pm push-back, the weather apps suggested it ‘felt’ like 42 degrees Celsius. It was, however, Japan that made them sweat. The sharp, counter-attacking Japan that refused to be knocked out by the early blows, put up a stubborn fight and, despite the 2-3 loss, gave Craig Fulton’s India enough to ponder over before the serious business — the Super 4s round of the Asia Cup — that begins in a couple of days. Not a single Indian player celebrated Sunday’s hard-fought win. Abhishek, the forward who was named the Player of the Match, was tch-ing and tut-ing when asked to summarise the performance.
Kazakhstan conceded seven goals in the first half, let India enter their ‘D’ nearly every minute, and allowed a shot at their goal every second minute on average. Yet, their assistant coach smiled politely at the interval and said his team was playing a ‘good game’.
It was hard not to empathise with them. In the hockey universe where competition gets thin beyond the top 15 of the world, Kazakhstan are ranked 87th, below Hungary and just above Zimbabwe — countries that exist as hockey nations in the rankings list but barely play. Kazakhstan last played in the AHF Cup, a second-tier Asian competition where they were spanked 7-1 by Chinese Taipei, another hockey minnow. They are in Rajgir only because Pakistan pulled out followed by Oman, and got barely a week or two to prepare for the continent’s showpiece event, a World Cup qualifier no less.
After more than two dozen international players pulled out of the Hockey India League (HIL) last season, citing unappealing pay as one of the key reasons, the competition is staring at the prospect of an even bigger exodus of foreign stars for the upcoming edition. The Indian Express has learnt that leading European countries, including the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and England, have refused to give the go-ahead to their players to compete in the league. The reason cited is a packed calendar, with the World Cup being next year’s headline tournament. Players from these four countries formed nearly half of the 96 international stars in the 2024-25 edition of the league, with close to 45 players spread across the eight men’s and four women’s teams.
Concerned, the franchises — who were left scrambling for replacements after 29 players pulled out weeks before the last season — discussed the issue with Hockey India on the sidelines of the Asia Cup here on Sunday after India’s 3-2 win over Japan. Three team officials told this paper that they have ‘pushed Hockey India to take a stand, talk to the respective national federations and understand why this is happening.’ “I hope the issue is sorted,” said a franchise official. “We have to realise that in an Olympic or a World Cup year, these issues might happen. The countries will be concerned about workload, or about their player getting injured. But we have to find a solution.”
It's not looking great for HIL... read more by Mihir Vasavda here.
Malaysia have doubled their and with 11 mins to go, China have their task cut out.
The men in yellow in danger of starting Super 4s on the backfoot.
While India topping the pool was largely expected, it is China who have emerged as the tournament’s surprise package.
After giving India a scare, the world number 22 side stunned Japan by holding them to a 2-2 draw. The result was enough for China to finish second in the group and qualify for the Super 4s — the tournament’s second stage that will decide the eventual champions. Japan, the 2018 Asian Games champions, will now play in the 5th to 8th place classification games.
Super 4s line-up
September 3: 5 pm: Malaysia vs China; 7.30 pm: India vs South Korea
September 4: 5 pm: South Korea vs China; 7.30 pm: India vs Malaysia
September 6: 5 pm: Malaysia vs South Korea; 7.30 pm: India vs China
September 7: Final
All matches live on Sony Sports Network
A pretty dramatic 0-0 going in between Malaysia and China. A stray stick from Fitri Saari took out a Chinese player, but it wasn't intentional. The Malaysian No 7, their superstar, had his eyes on the ball and looked up for a passing lane while the defender got in the way. But the resulting injury caused Chinese players to lose their cool and it led to an altercation that saw China's Lu Yuanlin and Malaysia's captain Marhan Jalil were called out for serious misconduct, and given 10-minute yellow cards.
And now in Q3, Malaysia have taken the lead, Syed Cholan with the drag flick.
After winning all three group-stage matches, India will take on a tricky South Korea in the first match of the Super 4s stage — comprising top two teams from both pools — here on Wednesday. South Korea, the defending champions, had a wobbly start to the tournament, losing 1-4 to Malaysia in the group stage. India are unbeaten against the defending champions in their last five matches. However, when the two teams met at the same stage in the previous edition of the Asia Cup, it ended in a high-scoring draw, with the scoreline reading 4-4. India, who conceded seven goals in the group stage — four against China and three against Japan — will hope to tighten their backline and improve their field goals ratio. Craig Fulton’s team has scored just once from open play against the two opponents, not counting the 15-0 win over a lowly Kazakhstan in their final group-stage encounter.
Mihir Vasavda in Rajgir
India vs South Korea: 7.30pm, Live on Sony Sports Network
Here's how the Pools A & B finished in the first stage of the tournament. India and Malaysia were the two teams with perfect records.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Indian hockey team, where attention turns to the Super 4s stage in Rajgir at the 2025 men's Asia Cup.
After the 8 teams played out the first Pool stage, the top two teams from each group are now into the 2nd stage.
Malaysia vs China first up, currently underway.
India vs Korea, coming up soon.
Stay tuned for all the updates! We are the business end in Rajgir and this should be fun.
Kazakhstan conceded seven goals in the first half, let India enter their ‘D’ nearly every minute, and allowed a shot at their goal every second minute on average. Yet, their assistant coach smiled politely at the interval and said his team was playing a ‘good game’.
It was hard not to empathise with them. In the hockey universe where competition gets thin beyond the top 15 of the world, Kazakhstan are ranked 87th, below Hungary and just above Zimbabwe — countries that exist as hockey nations in the rankings list but barely play. Kazakhstan last played in the AHF Cup, a second-tier Asian competition where they were spanked 7-1 by Chinese Taipei, another hockey minnow. They are in Rajgir only because Pakistan pulled out followed by Oman, and got barely a week or two to prepare for the continent’s showpiece event, a World Cup qualifier no less.
