India beat Japan 4-1 to win sixth Asian Champions Trophy title
The Indian men's hockey team secured a comeback victory in Mohali to defend their title and win the tournament for the third consecutive time.
The Indian men's hockey team won the Asian Champions Trophy 2026 by defeating Japan 4-1 in the final at the Balbir Singh Senior International Stadium in Mohali, according to Prabhat Khabar.
Japan took an early lead in the fourth minute when Kazumasa Matsumoto scored with a reverse hit, leaving India trailing 1-0 through the first half.
India levelled the score in the 42nd minute when Shilanand Lakra scored from close range following a pass from Aditya Lalage.
After the equaliser, India scored three more goals to secure the win, with Dilpreet Singh scoring in the 49th minute, Jugraj Singh converting a penalty corner in the 53rd minute, and Vivek Sagar Prasad scoring a volley in the 54th minute.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh led the team to their sixth title, having previously won in 2011, 2016, 2018, 2023, and 2024.
The match marked the 200th international appearance for midfielder Hardik Singh, while it was the final international match for goalkeeper Nilakanta Sharma.
