Defending champions India crushed Japan 6-0 to remain unbeaten in the round-robin stage of the Asian Champions Trophy men's hockey tournament here on Sunday.

Harmanpreet Singh (10th and 53rd minute) scored a brace, while Dilpreet Singh (23rd), Jaramnpreet Singh (34th), Sumit (46th) and Shamsher Singh (54th) also registered their names on the scoresheet for India at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium.

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India end the group stage of the Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy Dhaka 2021 with a BANG! 💥 
 
A clean sheet &amp; a six-goal victory! 🤝<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaKaGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaKaGame</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HeroACT2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HeroACT2021</a> <a href="https://t.co/G7nRRYagxu">pic.twitter.com/G7nRRYagxu</a>
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHockeyIndia/status/1472526778144944136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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India, who have already sealed a semifinal berth, ended the round-robin stage of the five-nation tournament at the top of the standings with 10 points, ahead of Korea (6), Japan (5), Pakistan (2) and hosts Bangladesh (0).

This was India's third win on the trot. Held to a draw by Korea in their lung-opener, the Manpreet Singh-led side turned things around defeating Bangladesh 9-0, while also getting the better of arch-rivals Pakistan before easily overcoming the Japanese challenge.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-champions-trophy-harmanpreet-singh-strikes-twice-as-india-beat-arch-rivals-pakistan-3-1-437674">Asian Champions Trophy: Harmanpreet Singh strikes twice as India beat arch-rivals Pakistan 3-1</a>

India's semifinal opponent was yet to be decided.

The dominant victory will be a huge boost for India as they head into the business end of the tournament full of confidence.

They completely outperformed Japan, the Asian Games gold medallists, in all departments.

India dominated the first half. They earned two back-to-back penalty corners within the first six minutes of the the first quarter but were unable to convert either. Soon after Japan also wasted a penalty corner as their striker fired the shot wide.

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A magnificent win over Japan! 🔥 
 
A look at Team 🇮🇳's last league game of the Hero Men’s Champions Trophy Dhaka 2021 in pictures. 📸 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaKaGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaKaGame</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HeroACT2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HeroACT2021</a> <a href="https://t.co/xQcmjAV8eZ">pic.twitter.com/xQcmjAV8eZ</a>
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India kept on attacking and received another PC, this time Hardik Singh injecting the ball to perfection for Harmanpreet to flick it home and give the holders a 1-0 lead.

The scoreline could have been 2-0 towards the end of the first quarter had veteran Lalit Upadhyay not missed a sitter.

Just after the five-minute mark in the second quarter, Japan were handed a PC, India referred the decision but the TV umpire found no conclusive evidence to deny Japan.

In the 23rd minute, the trio of Mandeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra and Dilpreet combined well as Dilpreet doubled India's lead. 
Japan, too, attacked but the Indian defence foiled their attempts as the Olympic bronze medallists headed into the break with a two-goal lead.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-champions-trophy-india-net-nine-goals-past-bangladesh-in-a-dominating-display-437172">Asian Champions Trophy: India net nine goals past Bangladesh in a dominating display</a>

Japan began the second half on the offensive but it was India who scored their third goal courtesy Jaramanpreet's clean strike.

A crucial PC coming their way in the 36th minute, Japan looked to capitalise on the chance but India keeper Suraj Karkera, who shone in the absence of regular custodian P Sreejesh, pulled off a superb save to deny them.

Japan tried to up the ante as they attacked in numbers. With India a man down, Japan looked to create an opportunity with Kenta Tanaka breaking the Indian defence with a solo run, but, once again, Karkera foiled the attack.

Japan continued to test the Indian defence but the backline stood tall.

India inflicted further pain on Japan as Sumit scored in the first minute of the final quarter. Harmanpreet then made it 5-0 by smashing the ball in the top right corner of the goalpost for his second of the match.

Two minutes later -- juniors Shamsher and Shilanand -- combined beautifully as the former scored India's sixth goal.

Japan tried their best to score but were unable to penetrate the Indian defence. Such was India's dominance that they defended all five penalty corners awarded to their opponents.&nbsp;

Defending champions India crushed Japan 6-0 to remain unbeaten in the round-robin stage of the Asian Champions Trophy men's hockey tournament here on Sunday. Harmanpreet Singh (10th and 53rd minute) scored a brace, while Dilpreet Singh (23rd), Jaramnpreet Singh (34th), Sumit (46th) and Shamsher Singh (54th) also registered their names on the scoresheet for India at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium.

Defending champions India crushed Japan 6-0 to remain unbeaten in the round-robin stage of the Asian Champions Trophy men's hockey tournament here on Sunday. Harmanpreet Singh (10th and 53rd minute) scored a brace, while Dilpreet Singh (23rd), Jaramnpreet Singh (34th), Sumit (46th) and Shamsher Singh (54th) also registered their names on the scoresheet for India at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium. India end the group stage of the Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy Dhaka 2021 with a BANG! 💥 A clean sheet & a six-goal victory! 🤝#IndiaKaGame #HeroACT2021 pic.twitter.com/G7nRRYagxu — Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) December 19, 2021 × India, who have already sealed a semifinal berth, ended the round-robin stage of the five-nation tournament at the top of the standings with 10 points, ahead of Korea (6), Japan (5), Pakistan (2) and hosts Bangladesh (0). This was India's third win on the trot. Held to a draw by Korea in their lung-opener, the Manpreet Singh-led side turned things around defeating Bangladesh 9-0, while also getting the better of arch-rivals Pakistan before easily overcoming the Japanese challenge. ALSO READ: Asian Champions Trophy: Harmanpreet Singh strikes twice as India beat arch-rivals Pakistan 3-1 India's semifinal opponent was yet to be decided. The dominant victory will be a huge boost for India as they head into the business end of the tournament full of confidence. They completely outperformed Japan, the Asian Games gold medallists, in all departments. India dominated the first half. They earned two back-to-back penalty corners within the first six minutes of the the first quarter but were unable to convert either. Soon after Japan also wasted a penalty corner as their striker fired the shot wide. A magnificent win over Japan! 🔥 A look at Team 🇮🇳's last league game of the Hero Men’s Champions Trophy Dhaka 2021 in pictures. 📸 #IndiaKaGame #HeroACT2021 pic.twitter.com/xQcmjAV8eZ — Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) December 19, 2021 × India kept on attacking and received another PC, this time Hardik Singh injecting the ball to perfection for Harmanpreet to flick it home and give the holders a 1-0 lead. The scoreline could have been 2-0 towards the end of the first quarter had veteran Lalit Upadhyay not missed a sitter. Just after the five-minute mark in the second quarter, Japan were handed a PC, India referred the decision but the TV umpire found no conclusive evidence to deny Japan. In the 23rd minute, the trio of Mandeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra and Dilpreet combined well as Dilpreet doubled India's lead. Japan, too, attacked but the Indian defence foiled their attempts as the Olympic bronze medallists headed into the break with a two-goal lead. ALSO READ: Asian Champions Trophy: India net nine goals past Bangladesh in a dominating display Japan began the second half on the offensive but it was India who scored their third goal courtesy Jaramanpreet's clean strike. A crucial PC coming their way in the 36th minute, Japan looked to capitalise on the chance but India keeper Suraj Karkera, who shone in the absence of regular custodian P Sreejesh, pulled off a superb save to deny them. Japan tried to up the ante as they attacked in numbers. With India a man down, Japan looked to create an opportunity with Kenta Tanaka breaking the Indian defence with a solo run, but, once again, Karkera foiled the attack. Japan continued to test the Indian defence but the backline stood tall. India inflicted further pain on Japan as Sumit scored in the first minute of the final quarter. Harmanpreet then made it 5-0 by smashing the ball in the top right corner of the goalpost for his second of the match. Two minutes later -- juniors Shamsher and Shilanand -- combined beautifully as the former scored India's sixth goal. Japan tried their best to score but were unable to penetrate the Indian defence. Such was India's dominance that they defended all five penalty corners awarded to their opponents.

Asian Champions Trophy: India hammer Japan 6-0 to top round-robin stage

Hockey India on Wednesday congratulated all the award winners of the FIH Hockey Stars Awards which was announced on Wednesday by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). The voting-based annual awards had six Indian hockey players and two coaches from both the Indian hockey teams (Men and Women) nominated for various categories. This is the first time that all nominees from India have won the prestigious awards in their respective categories. India`s dragflick sensation Harmanpreet Singh was crowned the `FIH Player of the Year` in the men`s category. He was the top scorer in India`s Bronze medal-winning performance at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, Indian women`s hockey team dragflicker Gurjit Kaur won the `FIH Player of The Year` in the women`s category. India`s famed goalkeeper PR Sreejesh won the `Goalkeeper of the Year` in the men`s category. Sreejesh came up with a career-best performance at the Olympic Games 2020 and was the cynosure of Indian defence. Indian women team custodian Savita, on the other hand, won the `Goalkeeper of the Year` in the women`s category. Savita, who was also the joint-vice captain for the Indian women`s hockey team at the Olympic Games 2020, was outstanding in guarding India`s post and played an instrumental role in the team finishing fourth in the Tokyo Olympic Games.

In the FIH Rising Star of the Year for men, Vivek Sagar Prasad won the award for the second consecutive time. In the FIH Rising Star of the year for women, Sharmila Devi won the award with maximum votes ahead of Great Britain`s Fiona Crackles and Argentina`s Valentina Raposo. Indian men`s hockey chief coach Graham Reid was awarded the FIH Coach of the Year.

He was nominated along with Australia`s Colin Batch and Belgium`s Shane McLeod. Former Indian women`s hockey chief coach Sjoerd Marijne too was awarded the `FIH Coach of the Year` in the women`s team category.

Congratulating the award winners, Hockey India President Gyanendro Ningombam said, "This is a great moment for Indian hockey as all our Indian nominees for the FIH Stars Awards have been announced winners. After the historic performances in Tokyo by both Indian men and women`s hockey teams, the support from Indian fans from across the globe has been overwhelming. We thank everyone who supported the nominees by voting for them. This is a big moment for us and these awards will definitely inspire future generations to take up the sport professionally. On behalf of Hockey India, I congratulate all the award winners and wish them success in their future endeavours." (ANI)

Hockey India on Wednesday congratulated all the award winners of the FIH Hockey Stars Awards which was announced on Wednesday by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

Hockey India on Wednesday congratulated all the award winners of the FIH Hockey Stars Awards which was announced on Wednesday by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). The voting-based annual awards had six Indian hockey players and two coaches from both the Indian hockey teams (Men and Women) nominated for various categories. This is the first time that all nominees from India have won the prestigious awards in their respective categories. India`s dragflick sensation Harmanpreet Singh was crowned the `FIH Player of the Year` in the men`s category. He was the top scorer in India`s Bronze medal-winning performance at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Meanwhile, Indian women`s hockey team dragflicker Gurjit Kaur won the `FIH Player of The Year` in the women`s category. India`s famed goalkeeper PR Sreejesh won the `Goalkeeper of the Year` in the men`s category. Sreejesh came up with a career-best performance at the Olympic Games 2020 and was the cynosure of Indian defence. Indian women team custodian Savita, on the other hand, won the `Goalkeeper of the Year` in the women`s category. Savita, who was also the joint-vice captain for the Indian women`s hockey team at the Olympic Games 2020, was outstanding in guarding India`s post and played an instrumental role in the team finishing fourth in the Tokyo Olympic Games. In the FIH Rising Star of the Year for men, Vivek Sagar Prasad won the award for the second consecutive time. In the FIH Rising Star of the year for women, Sharmila Devi won the award with maximum votes ahead of Great Britain`s Fiona Crackles and Argentina`s Valentina Raposo. Indian men`s hockey chief coach Graham Reid was awarded the FIH Coach of the Year. He was nominated along with Australia`s Colin Batch and Belgium`s Shane McLeod. Former Indian women`s hockey chief coach Sjoerd Marijne too was awarded the `FIH Coach of the Year` in the women`s team category. Congratulating the award winners, Hockey India President Gyanendro Ningombam said, "This is a great moment for Indian hockey as all our Indian nominees for the FIH Stars Awards have been announced winners. After the historic performances in Tokyo by both Indian men and women`s hockey teams, the support from Indian fans from across the globe has been overwhelming. We thank everyone who supported the nominees by voting for them. This is a big moment for us and these awards will definitely inspire future generations to take up the sport professionally. On behalf of Hockey India, I congratulate all the award winners and wish them success in their future endeavours." (ANI)

Great moment for Indian hockey as all our nominees for FIH Stars Awards have won, says HI President

India swept the International Hockey Federation's annual awards on Wednesday, claiming all the top honours based on a voting system which was lambasted as a "failure" by men's Olympic champions Belgium, prompting the FIH to say that it would try to figure why some associations did not cast their ballot.

Five Indian players and the head coaches of both the men's and women's teams in Tokyo claimed the top honours across different categories after fetching the maximum votes. The men's hockey team had won a bronze, its first in 41 years, in the Tokyo Olympics, while the women's side had finished an unprecedented fourth in the showpiece. 
Harmanpreet Singh won the men's 'Player of the Year' award and Gurjit Kaur was recognised as the best player in the women's section. Veteran P R Sreejesh and Savita Punia won the best goalkeeper awards in the men's and women's section, while young striker Sharmila Devi (women) and Vivek Sagar Prasad (men) were adjudged best rising stars.

The drag-click duo of Harmanpreet and Gurjit were the top-scorers in their respective team's stellar run at the Games. Men's team coach Graham Reid and women's coach Sjoerd Marijne were also voted the best. While Reid is still with the team, Marijne's tenure ended after the Tokyo Games.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hockey-india-withdraws-from-2022-birmingham-cwg-cites-covid-concerns-discriminatory-quarantine-rules-418432">Hockey India withdraws from 2022 Birmingham CWG; cites Covid concerns, discriminatory quarantine rules</a>

Hockey Belgium reacted sharply to the announcement of the winners and questioned the process as none of their Tokyo Games champions managed to win an award. Votes from National Associations -- represented by their respective national captains and coaches -- accounted for 50 per cent of the overall result, while fans and players (25 per cent) as well as media (25 per cent) made the other half of the votes. 
It is to be noted that only 19 associations from the 42-strong European bloc cast their votes, compared to 29 out of 33 in Asia.

"Hockey Belgium is very disappointed with the outcome of @FIH_Hockey Star Awards. A gold winning team with multiple nominees in all categories but doesn't win a single award demonstrates failure of the voting system. We will work with FIH to ensure a fairer system in the future," the Belgian association tweeted.

The sentiment was shared by the team's official handle as well. "We fully agree! This is not normal! The credibility and image of our sport is once again facing hard times. It's a pitty (sic) @FIH," stated the Red Lions. 
In all, 79 National Associations voted, the others being Africa (11 out of 25 Member Associations), Oceania (3 out of 8), and Pan America (17 out of 30) "And with a record number of almost 300,000 fans casting their votes, fan participation in the FIH Hockey Stars Awards has been exceptional," the FIH said.

Following Belgium's objection, FIH issued a statement to clarify its stand and promised a review if necessary. 
"As one can see, all winning athletes have topped the standings in each of the three voting groups...As always FIH will conduct a review of the FIH Hockey Star Awards and make adjustments wherever deemed necessary. In particular, we will focus on establishing why a number of national associations failed to vote," it said. 
The nominations from Belgium (men) and the Netherlands (women), who were not only crowned Olympic Champions but also won the 2020-21 FIH Hockey Pro League, finished behind the Indians once the votes were counted.

Belgium duo of Alexander Hendrickx and Arthur van Doren were voted second and third best players respectively among men, with Vincent Vanasch (Belgium) named second best goalkeeper and Shane McLeod of New Zealand second best coach. Among women, Eva de Goede and Frederique Matla of the Netherlands clinched the respective second and third places in the Player of the Year awards while Alyson Annan of Australia finished second for the FIH Coach of the Year Award.

Great Britain goalkeeper Maddie Hinch, rising star Fiona Crackles and coach Mark Hager of Australia all were third in their respective categories.

With the FIH Hockey Stars Awards skipped in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 global health pandemic on the international calendar, this year's awards covered the period from January 2020 through to the conclusion of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the FIH said.

"The voting process started on 23 August and concluded on 15 September 2021. Votes from National Associations - represented by their respective national captains and coaches - counted for 50 pe cent of the overall result, while fans and players (25 per cent) as well as media (25 per cent) made the other half of the votes," it added. 
Hockey India President Gyanendro Ningombam congratulated the winners.

"This is a great moment for Indian hockey as all our Indian nominees for the FIH Stars Awards have been announced winners. "After the historic performances in Tokyo by both Indian Men and Women's Hockey teams, the support from Indian fans from across the globe has been overwhelming," he said.&nbsp;

India swept the International Hockey Federation's annual awards on Wednesday, claiming all the top honours based on a voting system which was lambasted as a "failure" by men's Olympic champions Belgium, prompting the FIH to say that it would try to figure why some associations did not cast their ballot.

India swept the International Hockey Federation's annual awards on Wednesday, claiming all the top honours based on a voting system which was lambasted as a "failure" by men's Olympic champions Belgium, prompting the FIH to say that it would try to figure why some associations did not cast their ballot. Five Indian players and the head coaches of both the men's and women's teams in Tokyo claimed the top honours across different categories after fetching the maximum votes. The men's hockey team had won a bronze, its first in 41 years, in the Tokyo Olympics, while the women's side had finished an unprecedented fourth in the showpiece. Harmanpreet Singh won the men's 'Player of the Year' award and Gurjit Kaur was recognised as the best player in the women's section. Veteran P R Sreejesh and Savita Punia won the best goalkeeper awards in the men's and women's section, while young striker Sharmila Devi (women) and Vivek Sagar Prasad (men) were adjudged best rising stars. The drag-click duo of Harmanpreet and Gurjit were the top-scorers in their respective team's stellar run at the Games. Men's team coach Graham Reid and women's coach Sjoerd Marijne were also voted the best. While Reid is still with the team, Marijne's tenure ended after the Tokyo Games. ALSO READ | Hockey India withdraws from 2022 Birmingham CWG; cites Covid concerns, discriminatory quarantine rules Hockey Belgium reacted sharply to the announcement of the winners and questioned the process as none of their Tokyo Games champions managed to win an award. Votes from National Associations -- represented by their respective national captains and coaches -- accounted for 50 per cent of the overall result, while fans and players (25 per cent) as well as media (25 per cent) made the other half of the votes. It is to be noted that only 19 associations from the 42-strong European bloc cast their votes, compared to 29 out of 33 in Asia. "Hockey Belgium is very disappointed with the outcome of @FIH_Hockey Star Awards. A gold winning team with multiple nominees in all categories but doesn't win a single award demonstrates failure of the voting system. We will work with FIH to ensure a fairer system in the future," the Belgian association tweeted. The sentiment was shared by the team's official handle as well. "We fully agree! This is not normal! The credibility and image of our sport is once again facing hard times. It's a pitty (sic) @FIH," stated the Red Lions. In all, 79 National Associations voted, the others being Africa (11 out of 25 Member Associations), Oceania (3 out of 8), and Pan America (17 out of 30) "And with a record number of almost 300,000 fans casting their votes, fan participation in the FIH Hockey Stars Awards has been exceptional," the FIH said. Following Belgium's objection, FIH issued a statement to clarify its stand and promised a review if necessary. "As one can see, all winning athletes have topped the standings in each of the three voting groups...As always FIH will conduct a review of the FIH Hockey Star Awards and make adjustments wherever deemed necessary. In particular, we will focus on establishing why a number of national associations failed to vote," it said. The nominations from Belgium (men) and the Netherlands (women), who were not only crowned Olympic Champions but also won the 2020-21 FIH Hockey Pro League, finished behind the Indians once the votes were counted. Belgium duo of Alexander Hendrickx and Arthur van Doren were voted second and third best players respectively among men, with Vincent Vanasch (Belgium) named second best goalkeeper and Shane McLeod of New Zealand second best coach. Among women, Eva de Goede and Frederique Matla of the Netherlands clinched the respective second and third places in the Player of the Year awards while Alyson Annan of Australia finished second for the FIH Coach of the Year Award. Great Britain goalkeeper Maddie Hinch, rising star Fiona Crackles and coach Mark Hager of Australia all were third in their respective categories. With the FIH Hockey Stars Awards skipped in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 global health pandemic on the international calendar, this year's awards covered the period from January 2020 through to the conclusion of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the FIH said. "The voting process started on 23 August and concluded on 15 September 2021. Votes from National Associations - represented by their respective national captains and coaches - counted for 50 pe cent of the overall result, while fans and players (25 per cent) as well as media (25 per cent) made the other half of the votes," it added. Hockey India President Gyanendro Ningombam congratulated the winners. "This is a great moment for Indian hockey as all our Indian nominees for the FIH Stars Awards have been announced winners. "After the historic performances in Tokyo by both Indian Men and Women's Hockey teams, the support from Indian fans from across the globe has been overwhelming," he said.

Hockey: India sweep FIH annual awards; men’s Olympic champion Belgium says 'this is not normal'

Indian hockey player Mandeep Singh on Tuesday said that if the team wins laurels for the country, the sport will itself resonate with people and will garner more admirers.

He also added that the Indian Hockey Team is confident of qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Appreciating the 'Khelo India' initiative of the Sports Ministry, Singh said it has proved to a good platform."Khelo India has proved to be a good platform. It has helped in improving the game at the grassroots levels.&nbsp;

Our Sports Minister has always supported us. The honours lie upon us to win medals for the country," Singh told ANI.

"If we keep on winning medals for the country, the game itself will resonate with the youth and people will get attracted towards the sport. If people say cricket gets the support, I will add that hockey is also getting the support. If we keep on winning medals, the sport will attract people towards it," he went on to add.

As the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are fast approaching, Singh said that the first task for the side will be to qualify for the sporting event. The 24-year-old added that he's confident of qualifying for the Olympics and affirmed that if the team is through, they will strive to win gold.

"We are working very hard, the first thing we need to do is to qualify for the Olympics. For qualifying, we need to put our best foot forward and then we will aim to win the gold medal," Singh said.

"Our first task is to qualify for the Olympics, I am confident we will qualify and after qualification, we will think about the Tokyo Olympics. I hope we will continue to remain consistent, our aim will always be to win a medal for the country," he added.

Hockey India on July 25 had announced an 18-member squad for the Olympic Test event in Japan.

The team management had decided to rest senior players such as captain Manpreet Singh, PR Sreejesh and Surender Kumar.

The Indian team chief coach Graham Reid had said that the break will help the players shake off any niggling injuries and refresh themselves ahead of the Olympic qualifying matches in November.

Singh agreed with the head coach's statement, saying the rest was much needed for senior players. He also showed faith in the youngsters, stating that the new players will put their best foot forward.

"All the new players that have come into our side, they are all good. Some senior players needed rest, and they have been given rest by the federation. Some players were playing at a stretch from a long time so the rest was much needed.&nbsp;

New players are really good, they have been given an opportunity in the Olympic Test Event and I am confident they will perform to the best of their ability," Singh said.

Singh, who made his foray into international hockey in 2013, said that his game is improving day by day. According to him, his main task is to create penalty corners and convert them into goals.

Singh had scored his first goal against Oman in 2013, and the player has established his place in the side, becoming the linchpin in the current hockey team.

"I think my game is improving day by day. My main role is to create penalty corners and convert them into goals. I went into a dull period in the middle, but I was able to come back in to form and right now all things have fallen into place," Singh said.

Former Indian hockey team skipper Dhanraj Pillay had earlier emphasised on the betterment of rural setup to find and nurture players in the sporting circle.

"If more players are to be found and nurtured in the sporting circle, rural setup needs to be improved. No doubt, players from big cities get opportunities faster. But the rural setup has always given us great players. 
Players hailing from small towns make the most out of the given opportunity. I truly believe our hockey team will qualify for Tokyo 2020 Olympics," Pillay had told ANI.

Singh agreed with the former Olympian, and hoped to see more players from rural India come under the limelight in future."I agree with Dhanraj sir. Hockey is getting support from all around the corners, the rural setup has improved quite a lot and I hope it continues to get better to give more players to the country," Singh said.

Pillay had also urged the team to not to concede goals in the dying minutes of the match. Singh said that the team has been practicing quite hard to get better in this aspect.

"We are practicing quite hard to eradicate this problem. Conceding last-minute goals has been a problem, but our support staff is working closely with us and our coach has always told us to give 100% in the last five minutes of the match," Singh said.

"We scored goals in the dying minutes in our last tournament, we are working really hard at this aspect and our coaching staff is helping us improve," he added.

The Indian team would next be participating in the Olympic Test event which is slated to begin from August 17 in Japan.

Indian hockey player Mandeep Singh on Tuesday said that if the team wins laurels for the country, the sport will itself resonate with people and will garner more admirers.

Indian hockey player Mandeep Singh on Tuesday said that if the team wins laurels for the country, the sport will itself resonate with people and will garner more admirers. He also added that the Indian Hockey Team is confident of qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Appreciating the 'Khelo India' initiative of the Sports Ministry, Singh said it has proved to a good platform."Khelo India has proved to be a good platform. It has helped in improving the game at the grassroots levels. Our Sports Minister has always supported us. The honours lie upon us to win medals for the country," Singh told ANI. "If we keep on winning medals for the country, the game itself will resonate with the youth and people will get attracted towards the sport. If people say cricket gets the support, I will add that hockey is also getting the support. If we keep on winning medals, the sport will attract people towards it," he went on to add. As the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are fast approaching, Singh said that the first task for the side will be to qualify for the sporting event. The 24-year-old added that he's confident of qualifying for the Olympics and affirmed that if the team is through, they will strive to win gold. "We are working very hard, the first thing we need to do is to qualify for the Olympics. For qualifying, we need to put our best foot forward and then we will aim to win the gold medal," Singh said. "Our first task is to qualify for the Olympics, I am confident we will qualify and after qualification, we will think about the Tokyo Olympics. I hope we will continue to remain consistent, our aim will always be to win a medal for the country," he added. Hockey India on July 25 had announced an 18-member squad for the Olympic Test event in Japan. The team management had decided to rest senior players such as captain Manpreet Singh, PR Sreejesh and Surender Kumar. The Indian team chief coach Graham Reid had said that the break will help the players shake off any niggling injuries and refresh themselves ahead of the Olympic qualifying matches in November. Singh agreed with the head coach's statement, saying the rest was much needed for senior players. He also showed faith in the youngsters, stating that the new players will put their best foot forward. "All the new players that have come into our side, they are all good. Some senior players needed rest, and they have been given rest by the federation. Some players were playing at a stretch from a long time so the rest was much needed. New players are really good, they have been given an opportunity in the Olympic Test Event and I am confident they will perform to the best of their ability," Singh said. Singh, who made his foray into international hockey in 2013, said that his game is improving day by day. According to him, his main task is to create penalty corners and convert them into goals. Singh had scored his first goal against Oman in 2013, and the player has established his place in the side, becoming the linchpin in the current hockey team. "I think my game is improving day by day. My main role is to create penalty corners and convert them into goals. I went into a dull period in the middle, but I was able to come back in to form and right now all things have fallen into place," Singh said. Former Indian hockey team skipper Dhanraj Pillay had earlier emphasised on the betterment of rural setup to find and nurture players in the sporting circle. "If more players are to be found and nurtured in the sporting circle, rural setup needs to be improved. No doubt, players from big cities get opportunities faster. But the rural setup has always given us great players. Players hailing from small towns make the most out of the given opportunity. I truly believe our hockey team will qualify for Tokyo 2020 Olympics," Pillay had told ANI. Singh agreed with the former Olympian, and hoped to see more players from rural India come under the limelight in future."I agree with Dhanraj sir. Hockey is getting support from all around the corners, the rural setup has improved quite a lot and I hope it continues to get better to give more players to the country," Singh said. Pillay had also urged the team to not to concede goals in the dying minutes of the match. Singh said that the team has been practicing quite hard to get better in this aspect. "We are practicing quite hard to eradicate this problem. Conceding last-minute goals has been a problem, but our support staff is working closely with us and our coach has always told us to give 100% in the last five minutes of the match," Singh said. "We scored goals in the dying minutes in our last tournament, we are working really hard at this aspect and our coaching staff is helping us improve," he added. The Indian team would next be participating in the Olympic Test event which is slated to begin from August 17 in Japan.

If we keep winning medals, Hockey will garner admirers in India: Mandeep Singh

Indian defender Harmanpreet Singh has been honoured with the 2018 Player of the Year award by the Asian Hockey Federation while women's team striker Lalremsiami bagged the Rising Player of The Year prize.&nbsp;

Harmanpreet contributed to the team's silver medal win at the FIH Champions Trophy in Breda and was also part of the team which won the Asian Champions Trophy last year.&nbsp;

The 18-year-old Lalremsiami, on the other hand, has shown remarkable progress in the women's team with her impressive performance as a striker at the 2018 World Cup, the Asian Games where the team won a historic silver.&nbsp;

She was also a part of the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires where the under-18 team won a silver.&nbsp;

The Indian men's team was awarded the Best Performance of The Year for being the only Asian side to have reached the top eight at the World Cup in Bhubaneswar.&nbsp;

The team also came up with a historic silver medal feat at the FIH Champions Trophy in Breda, repeating its success from the 2016 edition.

Indian defender Harmanpreet Singh has been honoured with the 2018 Player of the Year award by the Asian Hockey Federation while women's team striker Lalremsiami bagged the Rising Player of The Year prize.

Indian defender Harmanpreet Singh has been honoured with the 2018 Player of the Year award by the Asian Hockey Federation while women's team striker Lalremsiami bagged the Rising Player of The Year prize. Harmanpreet contributed to the team's silver medal win at the FIH Champions Trophy in Breda and was also part of the team which won the Asian Champions Trophy last year. The 18-year-old Lalremsiami, on the other hand, has shown remarkable progress in the women's team with her impressive performance as a striker at the 2018 World Cup, the Asian Games where the team won a historic silver. She was also a part of the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires where the under-18 team won a silver. The Indian men's team was awarded the Best Performance of The Year for being the only Asian side to have reached the top eight at the World Cup in Bhubaneswar. The team also came up with a historic silver medal feat at the FIH Champions Trophy in Breda, repeating its success from the 2016 edition.

Drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh named 2018 Player of the Year by Asian hockey body

The Indian men&#39;s hockey team produced a spirited perfomance to upstage world No.3 Belgium 5-4 in its second match of the Four Nations Invitational Tournament&#39;s second leg here today.

India had earlier lost 1-2 to Belgium in the final of the first leg but held their nerve till the final hooter to come up with a winner in this high-tempo, high-speed match.

Rupinder Pal Singh (4&#39;, 42&#39;), Harmanpreet Singh (46&#39;), Lalit Upadhyay (53&#39;) and Dilpreet Singh (59&#39;) scored in India&#39;s win while John-John Dohmen (17&#39;), Felix Denayer (37&#39;), Alexander Hendrickx (45&#39;) and Tom Boon (56&#39;) scored for Belgium.

Sjoerd Marijne-coached India began the match with disciplined structure, playing two-touch hockey to rotate the ball swiftly and accurately to pave their way into Belgium&#39;s striking circle.

The effort paid off early when Vivek Sagar Prasad made a quick penetration from the left flank forcing Belgian defender to foul which resulted in the first penalty corner of the match.

It was in-form Rupinder Pal Singh, who stepped up for the drag flick, improvising on Lalit Upadhyay&#39;s injection to fiercely put the ball into the top net. The early 1-0 lead undoubtedly put the Belgians on the backfoot.

But the European side came back in the second quarter with a potent attack that put pressure on the Indian defence. A top of the circle penetration by John-John Dohmen caught the Indian defender Varun Kumar off-guard, as he positioned himself comfortably to take a successful reverse hit leveling the score 1-1.

A PC won by Belgium in the 24th minute saw dangerous Tom Boon take the flick but was brilliantly saved by Sreejesh who plunged to his left to snuff it away.

With seconds remaining for the second hooter, India won a PC but Rupinder&#39;s flick this time went wide ending the second quarter in a stalemate.

The match took a dramatic turn in the third quarter, with both teams displaying top quality skills to take the lead. It was Belgium who forced a foul in the Indian circle to win a PC in the 37th minute.

With a runner missing on the baseline, as they broke too early before the flick, Belgium tried a variation that worked with Felix nudging the ball into the post that put Belgium in 2-1 lead.

Minutes later, a defensive error in their circle saw Belgium give away a PC which was superbly struck by Rupinder in the similar fashion that he scored earlier fetching India the much-needed 2-2 equalizer in the 42nd minute.

Though India were resilient in their defence, an attempt to stop the Belgian forward in the baseline saw India concede a PC with just 43 seconds remaining for the third hooter.

Despite the drag flick being effectively saved by Sreejesh, Belgium kept the ball with Dohmen nudging it to Alexander Hendrickx who found the gap only to win Belgium the 3-2 lead.

With both teams unrelenting in their efforts, the final quarter was nerve-wracking as India came back from the break pressing Belgium high up.

India won a PC on the counter attack, and this time though Rupinder&#39;s drag flick was saved by the Belgian goal keeper Vincent Vanasch, the rebound landed with Harmanpreet Singh who made no mistake in whipping it past Vanasch leveling the score 3-3.

India were awarded yet another PC in the following minute but was well-saved, however, Belgium defence was punished when Vivek Prasad came up with brilliant stick work to dribble past Belgian defenders only to find Lalit unmanned in front of the post.

A perfectly timed deflection by Lalit put India in 4-3 lead in the 53rd minute.

Under pressure to keep the lead, India fumbled in the circle to concede a PC with less than five minutes for the final hooter and the error was punished by Belgian drag flicker Tom Boon who was fierce in his attempt to fetch his team a 4-4 equaliser.

With clock ticking away, both teams hunted for a winner, and despite Belgium holding the ball for most part could not break Indian defence. It was Sreejesh who made a brilliant save yet again to contain Cedric Charlier from scoring.

Seconds later, Indian forward Ramandeep Singh found himself making an ambitious circle entry from the top, turning around to beat Belgian defender, striking the ball towards the post. 
With Dilpreet Singh lurking around unmanned, it was another perfectly timed deflection by him that registered the win for India.

On January 27, India will take on Japan in their third match.

India had earlier lost 1-2 to Belgium in the final of the first leg but held their nerve till the final hooter to come up with a winner in this high-tempo, high-speed match.

The Indian men's hockey team produced a spirited perfomance to upstage world No.3 Belgium 5-4 in its second match of the Four Nations Invitational Tournament's second leg here today. India had earlier lost 1-2 to Belgium in the final of the first leg but held their nerve till the final hooter to come up with a winner in this high-tempo, high-speed match. Rupinder Pal Singh (4', 42'), Harmanpreet Singh (46'), Lalit Upadhyay (53') and Dilpreet Singh (59') scored in India's win while John-John Dohmen (17'), Felix Denayer (37'), Alexander Hendrickx (45') and Tom Boon (56') scored for Belgium. Sjoerd Marijne-coached India began the match with disciplined structure, playing two-touch hockey to rotate the ball swiftly and accurately to pave their way into Belgium's striking circle. The effort paid off early when Vivek Sagar Prasad made a quick penetration from the left flank forcing Belgian defender to foul which resulted in the first penalty corner of the match. It was in-form Rupinder Pal Singh, who stepped up for the drag flick, improvising on Lalit Upadhyay's injection to fiercely put the ball into the top net. The early 1-0 lead undoubtedly put the Belgians on the backfoot. But the European side came back in the second quarter with a potent attack that put pressure on the Indian defence. A top of the circle penetration by John-John Dohmen caught the Indian defender Varun Kumar off-guard, as he positioned himself comfortably to take a successful reverse hit leveling the score 1-1. A PC won by Belgium in the 24th minute saw dangerous Tom Boon take the flick but was brilliantly saved by Sreejesh who plunged to his left to snuff it away. With seconds remaining for the second hooter, India won a PC but Rupinder's flick this time went wide ending the second quarter in a stalemate. The match took a dramatic turn in the third quarter, with both teams displaying top quality skills to take the lead. It was Belgium who forced a foul in the Indian circle to win a PC in the 37th minute. With a runner missing on the baseline, as they broke too early before the flick, Belgium tried a variation that worked with Felix nudging the ball into the post that put Belgium in 2-1 lead. Minutes later, a defensive error in their circle saw Belgium give away a PC which was superbly struck by Rupinder in the similar fashion that he scored earlier fetching India the much-needed 2-2 equalizer in the 42nd minute. Though India were resilient in their defence, an attempt to stop the Belgian forward in the baseline saw India concede a PC with just 43 seconds remaining for the third hooter. Despite the drag flick being effectively saved by Sreejesh, Belgium kept the ball with Dohmen nudging it to Alexander Hendrickx who found the gap only to win Belgium the 3-2 lead. With both teams unrelenting in their efforts, the final quarter was nerve-wracking as India came back from the break pressing Belgium high up. India won a PC on the counter attack, and this time though Rupinder's drag flick was saved by the Belgian goal keeper Vincent Vanasch, the rebound landed with Harmanpreet Singh who made no mistake in whipping it past Vanasch leveling the score 3-3. India were awarded yet another PC in the following minute but was well-saved, however, Belgium defence was punished when Vivek Prasad came up with brilliant stick work to dribble past Belgian defenders only to find Lalit unmanned in front of the post. A perfectly timed deflection by Lalit put India in 4-3 lead in the 53rd minute. Under pressure to keep the lead, India fumbled in the circle to concede a PC with less than five minutes for the final hooter and the error was punished by Belgian drag flicker Tom Boon who was fierce in his attempt to fetch his team a 4-4 equaliser. With clock ticking away, both teams hunted for a winner, and despite Belgium holding the ball for most part could not break Indian defence. It was Sreejesh who made a brilliant save yet again to contain Cedric Charlier from scoring. Seconds later, Indian forward Ramandeep Singh found himself making an ambitious circle entry from the top, turning around to beat Belgian defender, striking the ball towards the post. With Dilpreet Singh lurking around unmanned, it was another perfectly timed deflection by him that registered the win for India. On January 27, India will take on Japan in their third match.

Four Nations hockey: India beat Belgium 5-4