Bhubaneswar: In a night that will be remembered for its drama, passion and sheer intensity, Vedanta Kalinga Lancers defeated Ranchi Royals 3–2 in a gripping Men’s Hero Hockey India League (HIL) Final at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium on Monday. Playing in front of a packed home crowd, the Lancers held their nerves in the closing moments to lift the prestigious HIL trophy after an unforgettable contest.
The goals for the champions came from Alexander Hendrickx, who struck twice in the 4th and 27th minutes, and Dilpreet Singh, who found the net in the 25th minute. Ranchi Royals fought bravely till the final whistle, with Araijeet Singh Hundal scoring in the 9th minute and captain Tom Boon pulling one back late in the 59th minute, but it was not enough to deny the hosts their moment of glory.
The final began at a frantic pace, with both teams showing clear intent to dominate early. Circle entries came thick and fast as neither side looked willing to sit back. The breakthrough arrived in the fourth minute when Vedanta Kalinga Lancers earned back-to-back penalty corners. Alexander Hendrickx stepped up and unleashed a thunderous dragflick that flew past the Ranchi Royals goalkeeper, sending the home crowd into celebration.
However, the Royals responded almost immediately. In the ninth minute, Yashdeep Siwach produced a moment of brilliance by lobbing the ball from the left flank to switch play. Araijeet Singh Hundal read it perfectly, controlled the ball with a sublime first touch and smashed home a powerful finish to restore parity.
The second quarter proved decisive as the Lancers turned the match in their favour. Ranchi Royals showed attacking intent but were forced deep as the Lancers earned a series of penalty corners. In the 25th minute, Hendrickx’s dragflick was initially saved by Suraj Karkera, but Dilpreet Singh reacted sharply, pouncing on the rebound to make it 2–1.
Just two minutes later, the stadium erupted again. Another penalty corner was awarded, and this time Hendrickx made no mistake, firing a fierce dragflick into the top right corner to give Vedanta Kalinga Lancers a commanding 3–1 lead at half-time.
The third quarter belonged largely to Ranchi Royals, who controlled possession and pushed forward relentlessly. In the 36th minute, they earned a penalty corner, but Tom Boon’s flick was bravely blocked by the first rusher. The pressure continued as the Royals attacked from both flanks, but the Lancers defence stood tall. In the 45th minute, Hundal came agonisingly close when the ball fell kindly in front of goal, only for goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak to produce a strong save.
The final quarter saw Ranchi Royals throw everything into attack. Pathak emerged as the hero of the night, pulling off three outstanding saves against Sam Lane, Tom Boon and Nilam Sanjeep Xess. His stick save in the 54th minute drew loud applause and kept the Lancers firmly in control.
With just a minute remaining, the Royals finally broke through as Tom Boon converted a low-driven dragflick from a penalty corner in the 59th minute. Despite a frantic push in the dying seconds, the equaliser never came, and the Lancers held on to seal a memorable 3–2 victory.
The triumph was accompanied by major rewards, as Hockey India League announced prize money of ₹3 crore for champions Vedanta Kalinga Lancers. Ranchi Royals received ₹2 crore as runners-up, while Hyderabad Toofans claimed ₹1 crore after defeating HIL GC earlier in the day to finish third.
Individual honours were also handed out. HIL GC received the Fairplay Award. Tamil Nadu Dragons goalkeeper Prince Deep Singh was named Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament, while Talem Priyobarta of HIL GC won the Upcoming Player award, with both earning ₹10 lakh each. Ranchi Royals captain Tom Boon finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 19 goals and received ₹10 lakh, while Hyderabad Toofans’ Amandeep Lakra was crowned Hero Player of the Tournament and awarded ₹20 lakh.
For the home fans in Bhubaneswar, it was a perfect night — one filled with pride, emotion and a championship triumph that will be cherished for years to come.
