Courtesy: X
The Indian men’s hockey team has been playing some exceptional hockey in the last few months, years, and decades, and their results tell a stunning tale about it. On Monday, September 16, the Men in Blue made history by reaching the final of the Asian Champions Trophy for the sixth time in eight editions after the coveted tournament came into being 13 years ago, defeating South Korea in a comprehensive manner in the semi-final with a scoreline of 4-1 in the ongoing 2024 edition.
In the summit clash of the Asian Champions Trophy 2024, India will be taking on China in their own den, at the Moqi Training Base in Hulunbuir City, Inner Mongolia after eliminating South Korea from the knockout stage earlier today. Notably, during the round-robin stage of the six-team tournament, the Indian men’s hockey team managed to keep their only clean sheet in six matches in the last week or so, defeating China 3-0 in their opening match of the competition.
India are four-time Asian Champions Trophy winners in men's hockey; most among all Asian nations
During their illustrious history at the Asian Champions Trophy, India have managed to win the coveted title four times, including the final of the 2018 edition, which was called off against Pakistan due to incessant rains in Oman. It led to the trophy being shared among the two arch-rivals on the men’s hockey circuit for the first-time ever in all competitions since 1947.
India are not only the defending champions of the Asian Champions Trophy, winning the final in 2023 against Malaysia 4-3, but they are also the inaugural winners of the tournament during 2011, getting the better of Pakistan in the penalty shootout 4-2 after the final was goalless at the end of normal time. The second title for the Indian men’s hockey team also came at the expense of Pakistan in 2016, when they defeated them 3-2 in the final.
Meanwhile, as far as China, the upcoming opponents for India in the final of the Asian Champions Trophy 2024 are concerned, they haven’t won this trophy once. It’s only going to be the first appearance in the final for China in this tournament with their best finish, a fourth place, coming twice in 2012 and 2013 after losing the third-and-fourth place playoff against Malaysia on both the occasions.
