Indian hockey team sprints into final after dominating Canada 14-3

The Indian hockey team stormed into the final of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2025 with a spectacular 14-3 victory over Canada in their final round-robin match at Ipoh, Malaysia, showcasing one of their most dominant attacking displays of the tournament. Canada, ranked 15th in the FIH world rankings, is considered a developing side in international hockey. While India was expected to win, the sheer scale of the triumph was extraordinary, underlining not only the disparity in team strength but also India’s exceptional form and firepower in the tournament.

The match turned into a showcase of India’s penalty-corner efficiency, with half of the goals coming from set pieces. Defender Jugraj Singh led from the front, scoring four times, three penalty corners and one penalty stroke, highlighting his growing impact as India’s most dependable drag-flicker this season.

India’s attackers maintained relentless pressure across all quarters. Abhishek, Amit Rohidas, and Rajinder Singh scored two goals each, while Selvam Karthi, Nilakanta Sharma, Sanjay, and Dilpreet Singh added one apiece to complete the rout.

With this emphatic victory, India confirmed a top-two finish in the standings and officially booked its place in Sunday’s title clash. The team will now face Belgium in the final, setting up a much-awaited rematch against the only side that defeated India during the league stage.

Belgium, sitting comfortably at the top of the table, sealed its place in the summit clash earlier in the day. New Zealand had a mathematical chance of sneaking in but needed an improbable six-goal win to qualify.

India now turns its attention to the final, aiming to maintain its attacking momentum and seek revenge against Belgium in what promises to be a high-intensity showdown in Ipoh. In the league stage of the tournament, Belgium had edged past India 3-2 in a closely contested match. Historically, India and Belgium have shared a competitive rivalry, with Belgium often holding the upper hand in recent encounters, but India has managed key victories in earlier tournaments, making this final a highly anticipated rematch.