India captain Harmanpreet Singh produced a masterclass with a stunning hat-trick to guide his side to a 4-2 victory over Malaysia in the Asian Champions Trophy at the Olympian Surjit Singh Stadium in Jalandhar on Sunday. The win extended India's winning run to four matches in the tournament.
Harmanpreet scored in the 3rd, 33rd and 58th minutes, while Sukhjeet Singh added another field goal to secure the win. Malaysia replied through Akhimullah Anuar in the 25th minute and Shello Silverius in the final minute of the match.
Playing in front of a vociferous home crowd, India made a lightning start when they earned an early penalty corner. Captain Harmanpreet unleashed his trademark drag-flick, finding the back of the net to give the hosts an early lead inside the opening minutes.
Malaysia responded strongly in the second quarter by applying sustained pressure and forcing several penalty corners. India goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak stood firm under mounting pressure, producing two vital saves, including a diving stop to deny Azimuddin.
India squandered opportunities to extend their lead when Harmanpreet crashed a powerful drag-field attempt against the crossbar. Mandeep Singh also failed to convert a clear opening from open play, keeping the contest tightly balanced.
The missed chances proved costly for the hosts as Malaysia capitalized on a penalty corner shortly before halftime. Akhimullah Anuar found the target in the 25th minute to draw the visitors level, sending the teams into the interval tied at 1-1.
India regained the initiative early in the third quarter through their talismanic captain. Harmanpreet converted another penalty corner with precision in the 33rd minute to restore the lead at 2-1 for the home side.
The hosts continued to dominate possession and created several openings, though Aditya failed to capitalize from open play. A subsequent penalty-corner award for India was successfully overturned following a video referral by the Malaysian defense.
India extended their advantage to 3-1 when forward Sukhjeet Singh struck cleanly from open play. Shortly after, Harmanpreet received a yellow card, forcing him to spend five minutes off the pitch during a tense phase of the game.
Upon his return, the India captain delivered the decisive blow by converting a penalty stroke past the goalkeeper. The strike completed his hat-trick and pushed the lead to a comfortable 4-1 margin in the closing stages.
Malaysia managed a late consolation goal in the 60th minute when Shello Silverius finished a neat attacking move involving Marhan Jalil and Aimen. Silverius squeezed the ball beneath the advancing Pathak to wrap up the scoring at 4-2.
The victory leaves India unbeaten at the summit of the standings after securing four victories from their opening four matches. The hosts previously recorded a 13-0 win against Bangladesh, a 5-2 victory over China, and a 4-2 triumph against Japan.
India will complete their round-robin fixtures by facing Korea on Monday before traveling to Mohali for the knockout semi-finals. Malaysia suffered their first defeat of the campaign but remain in contention for the next stage.
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