Jugraj's four goals power India to 16-1 rout of Sri Lanka at 2026 Asian Games
Synopsis
India's men's hockey team are scoring at will in Kakamigahara — 29 goals in two games and only one conceded. Jugraj Singh's four-goal haul and Abhishek's hat-trick in a 16-1 rout of Sri Lanka signal that India are the team to beat in Pool A at the 2026 Asian Games.
Key Takeaways
India beat Sri Lanka 16-1 in a Pool A men's hockey match at the 2026 Asian Games on 22 September in Kakamigahara .
Jugraj Singh top-scored with four goals , including two penalty strokes and two penalty corners.
Abhishek completed a hat-trick , while Dilpreet Singh also scored three times.
India have now scored 29 goals in two matches, conceding just one — a tomahawk finish by Suresh Rathnayake .
The result follows India's opening 13-1 win over Indonesia; India remain on course for the knockout stages.
India unleashed another commanding performance at the 2026 Asian Games, crushing Sri Lanka 16-1 in a Pool A men's hockey fixture at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Kakamigahara on Tuesday, 22 September. Jugraj Singh headlined the rout with four goals, while Abhishek added a hat-trick as India made it two commanding wins from two games in the group stage.
How India Built the Lead
India were in the driving seat from the opening whistle. Mandeep Singh broke the deadlock in the 5th minute, calmly converting after Jarmanpreet Singh fed the ball across the circle. Jugraj doubled the advantage in the 10th minute with a thunderous penalty corner strike, and Abhishek made it 3-0 just a minute later after Jarmanpreet collected a long ball from Harmanpreet Singh on the baseline and supplied the finish.
Harmanpreet got on the scoresheet himself in the 15th minute, converting an early penalty corner, before Abhishek struck again two minutes later to give India a five-goal cushion at the end of the first quarter. The lead swelled to 8-0 by half-time, with Jugraj adding his second from a penalty corner in the 22nd minute, Sukhjeet Singh tapping home in the 29th minute after a deflected Harmanpreet dragflick was squared back by Hardik Singh, and Dilpreet Singh rounding off the first half.
Third-Quarter Surge Takes the Scoreline Into Double Digits
The third period brought no respite for Sri Lanka. Manpreet Singh powered home a dragflick in the 31st minute, and Vivek Prasad added a backhand finish five minutes later. Dilpreet scored his second in the 38th minute in combination with Sukhjeet, before Jugraj completed his hat-trick in the 42nd minute by converting a penalty stroke. Harmanpreet struck from the team's third consecutive penalty corner in the 44th minute, taking the score to 13-0 at the close of the third quarter.
Sri Lanka's Solitary Reply and India's Finish
Abhishek completed his hat-trick early in the final period, notching India's 14th goal in the 49th minute. Sri Lanka then earned a moment of consolation when Suresh Rathnayake produced a fine tomahawk finish to make it 14-1 — the first goal India had conceded in the entire tournament. India responded without delay: Jugraj converted his fourth goal via a penalty stroke in the 53rd minute, and Dilpreet completed his hat-trick two minutes later after a neat assist from Mandeep, sealing a 16-1 final scoreline.
Context and What It Means for India's Campaign
The victory follows India's 13-1 demolition of Indonesia in the opening Pool A match, in which Dilpreet had scored four times. Across two games, India have scored 29 goals while conceding just one, signalling a formidable attacking depth. Notably, the concession against Sri Lanka was the first goal India had allowed in the competition, underlining an otherwise watertight defensive display. The Indian men's hockey team will now focus on their remaining Pool A fixtures as they target a place in the knockout stages of the Kakamigahara tournament.
Point of View
29 goals, one conceded — India's Pool A run at the 2026 Asian Games is more procession than competition so far. The scorelines are flattering the bracket: Sri Lanka and Indonesia are not benchmarks for the knockout rounds where Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia lurk. The real test of India's campaign will be how the team manages intensity and rotation across a packed fixture schedule, and whether the penalty-corner conversion rate — so clinical here — holds up against genuinely defensive opponents. Goals are cheap against the minnows; cohesion under pressure is what wins Asian Games gold.
NationPress
22 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of India vs Sri Lanka at the 2026 Asian Games hockey match?
India defeated Sri Lanka 16-1 in a Pool A men's hockey match at the 2026 Asian Games, played at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Kakamigahara on 22 September. It was India's second straight victory in the group stage.
Who was the top scorer for India against Sri Lanka?
Jugraj Singh was India's top scorer, netting four goals — two from penalty corners and two from penalty strokes. Abhishek and Dilpreet Singh each completed hat-tricks in the same match.
How has India performed overall in the 2026 Asian Games men's hockey Pool A?
India have won both their Pool A games convincingly, first beating Indonesia 13-1 and then Sri Lanka 16-1, scoring 29 goals in total and conceding just one across the two matches.
Who scored Sri Lanka's goal in the match?
Suresh Rathnayake scored Sri Lanka's solitary goal in the 2026 Asian Games hockey match with a fine tomahawk finish, making it 14-1 in the final quarter. It was also the first goal India had conceded in the entire tournament.
What are India's next steps in the 2026 Asian Games hockey competition?
India will now focus on their remaining Pool A fixtures in Kakamigahara as they look to secure a place in the knockout stages of the 2026 Asian Games men's hockey tournament.
