Rajgir: The Indian Men’s Hockey Team turned on the style in front of a packed Rajgir Hockey Stadium, coming from behind to record a commanding 4-1 win over Malaysia in their second Super 4s encounter at the Hero Men’s Asia Cup Rajgir Bihar 2025, here on Thursday. The night was extra special for skipper Harmanpreet Singh, who proudly earned his 250th international cap.

Malaysia stunned the hosts early when Shafiq Hassan (2’) struck with their very first attack. The visitors dominated possession in the opening exchanges, forcing India to work hard to find rhythm. Despite creating chances towards the end of the first quarter, India went into the break trailing 0-1.

The tide turned dramatically in the second quarter. After forcing five successive penalty corners, India finally broke through as veteran Manpreet Singh (17’) pounced to draw level. Just two minutes later, Sukhjeet Singh (19’) fired the hosts ahead, lifting the energy in the stadium. With Malaysia still reeling, Shilanand Lakra (24’) added a third after a clever run from Dilpreet Singh, giving India a strong 3-1 lead at half-time.

Malaysia came out fighting in the third quarter, winning a penalty corner, but goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak produced a superb save to deny them. India soon made them pay—Manpreet set up Vivek Sagar Prasad (38’) who calmly slotted home to make it 4-1. From there, India controlled the tempo while Malaysia searched desperately for a breakthrough.

The final quarter saw India dictate possession with composure, their defence—led by the ever-reliable Harmanpreet—closing out the contest with authority. The 4-1 scoreline reflected India’s dominance after their early setback, and underlined their credentials as serious contenders for the title.

India will now meet China in their next Super 4s fixture on Saturday, 6 September, at 7:30 PM IST.

Elsewhere in the tournament: Bangladesh outplayed Kazakhstan 5-1, while China secured a 3-0 victory over Korea.