After Hockey Asia Cup 2025 glory, Harmanpreet Singh sets sight on World Cup

Indian men`s hockey team skipper Harmanpreet Singh receives the Asia Cup 2025 trophy (Pic: X/@FIH_Hockey)

As the hosts have clinched the Hockey Asia Cup 2025 title, the Indian men's hockey team skipper Harmanpreet Singh said analysing the game and working on it has been the key to end the eight-year-long wait.<

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"We learn from every match. I always say there is plus and minus after every game. What matters is how you analyse those things and how fast you work on it. As a team we have defended well and the scoring has been great," said Indian skipper Harmanpreet.

In the final of the Hockey Asia Cup 2025, India secured a dominating win over South Korea by 4-1. With this title win, the hosts were not only crowned as the Asian champions but were also successful in sealing the berth for the next year's World Cup.

After the triumph, the Indian skipper has set his sights on the global showpiece.

"We had been training for this for a while, we have achieved it today...very happy. Our next target is the World Cup now," said the 29-year-old athlete.

India had endured a dismal European leg of the FIH Pro League, suffering seven straight defeats, the longest losing streak in the team's history, while conceding 26 goals in eight games.

Despite displaying poor show in the previous tournaments, the skipper was nothing short of praise for his team's forward players, who grabbed every opportunity coming their way and converted them into goals.

"We have given a tough fight to our opponents in the last few games and that's why our result has been great. Credit goes to the forwards that they were converting opportunities into goals. We want to continue it," said the Amritsar-born player.

Former India captain Viren Rasquinha praised the side's defensive effort in the final against South Korea.

"Our attacking play was great today with 4 goals vs Korea in the final. But even better was the team defence. Every player sprinting back to defend the moment we lost the ball. Disciplined deep half court press whenever India were down to 10 men. It's the little things that matter," he wrote on X.

Hockey India president and another ex-captain, Dilip Tirkey, lauded the victory, terming it "a proud moment for the nation & an inspiration for future generations of hockey players."

Former forward Mandeep Singh also joined in the celebration and said, "Asia Cup 2025 Champions! Discipline, belief, and teamwork turned dreams into history".

(With PTI Inputs)