Ipoh, Malaysia – The Indian Men's Hockey Team faced a setback in their campaign at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2025, succumbing to a 2-3 defeat against Belgium in a rescheduled match. The game, initially slated for Monday, was postponed due to torrential rain in Ipoh, Malaysia, and finally took place on Tuesday.
India, who are five-time champions of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, entered the match after a 1-0 victory against South Korea in their opening game. Mohammed Raheel's first-quarter goal had secured the win for India in that match. Belgium, on the other hand, had drawn 1-1 with Canada in their first match of the tournament.
The clash against Belgium was highly anticipated, but the weather had other plans. The match started on Monday but was halted just three minutes in due to heavy showers. Despite efforts to resume the game later that day, the persistent rain led to the match being rescheduled for the following day.
When the match finally resumed, both teams were eager to secure a victory. Belgium ultimately edged out India with a score of 3-2. Abhishek and Shilanand Lakra were the goal scorers for India. Despite their efforts, the Indian team couldn't overcome the strong Belgian side.
The Indian team for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2025 is led by Sanjay, who was also a member of the Paris Olympic bronze-winning team. The squad features a mix of experienced players like Vivek Sagar Prasad, Jarmanpreet Singh, and Sukhjeet Singh, as well as promising young talents.
This year marks India's return to the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup after a six-year absence. The tournament is seen as an important opportunity to build towards the 2026 FIH Men's Hockey World Cup and the 2026 Asian Games.
Following the defeat against Belgium, India will need to regroup and refocus for their remaining matches in the tournament. The Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2025 features six teams competing in a round-robin format: India, Belgium, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, and hosts Malaysia. The top teams from the preliminary stage will then compete in the final matches to determine the winner.
