All posts tagged: Indian men

Asian Games 2026: Harmanpreet to lead 20-member Indian men’s hockey team

Asian Games 2026: Harmanpreet to lead 20-member Indian men’s hockey team

Published by Webster

Hockey India on Wednesday announced the 20-member Indian Men’s Hockey Team for the upcoming 20th Asian Games, set to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, 2026. Star defender and drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh will continue to lead the side, while India’s most-capped player, veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh, will lend vital experience to a squad that blends proven campaigners with emerging talent. Mohith HS and Suraj Karkera make up the goalkeeping unit, while Jarmanpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, Sumit and Yashdeep Siwach form the defensive line. The team will count on Rajinder Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Nilakanta Sharma and Vivek Sagar Prasad to marshal the midfield. Meanwhile, Dilpreet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Sukhjeet Singh, Mandeep Singh and Abhishek are trusted to lead the attacking line. India, who will head into the tournament as the defending champions having claimed gold at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023 under Harmanpreet’s leadership, have been drawn in Pool A alongside hosts Japan, Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. …

Will back-to-back series losses hurt Indian men’s T20 team’s 2028 LA Olympics qualification?

Will back-to-back series losses hurt Indian men’s T20 team’s 2028 LA Olympics qualification?

Published by Webster

The Indian men’s T20I team suffered their second consecutive series defeat, losing 0-4 to England in the five-match series in Southampton on Saturday. The two-time reigning world champions have now failed to win any of their last seven matches (six defeats and one abandoned by rain). The team is currently in a mini-transition phase, with Shreyas Iyer recently replacing Suryakumar Yadav as captain, and World Cup hero Sanju Samson struggling to secure his place in the side. However, the bigger question right now is whether this sudden decline in form will hurt India’s direct quota for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics via ICC Rankings. What does the 2028 LA Olympics qualification scenario looks like for Indian men’s cricket? The recently announced qualification criteria for the LA Olympics state that the highest-ranked team at the end of this year from four continents will earn a direct quota for the games. After losing these six matches (two against Ireland and four against England), the team has dropped from the top position in ICC T20I rankings, losing 7 …

India suffers fourth consecutive defeat in FIBA World Cup Qualifiers

India suffers fourth consecutive defeat in FIBA World Cup Qualifiers

Published by Webster

The Indian men’s basketball team suffered its fourth straight defeat in the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers, losing 56-99 to Group D leaders Lebanon on Monday. India offered little resistance throughout the contest and slumped to its ninth consecutive defeat against Lebanon in major competitions, remaining at the bottom of Group D. The visitors came under pressure from the opening minutes as Lebanon raced to a 7-0 lead before extending its advantage to 25-13 by the end of the first quarter. India never recovered from the slow start and was outscored in each of the remaining three quarters (15-28, 14-25, 13-21), eventually suffering a heavy 43-point defeat. Harsh Dagar was India’s only player to score in double figures, finishing with a team-high 14 points. Pranav Prince and Kanwar Sandhu chipped in with nine points each. Meanwhile, India’s star player Sahaij Sekhon endured a forgettable outing, failing to score despite attempting 10 shots from the field. For Lebanon, four players reached double figures, with Jihad Elkhatib and Hayk Gyokchyan leading the scoring with 16 points …

India lose to England in shootout

India lose to England in shootout

Published by Webster

After an intense 2-2 draw over four quarters, the Indian Men’s Hockey Team suffered a 1-4 shootout defeat against hosts England in the London leg of their FIH Pro League European tour at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre on Thursday. Dilpreet Singh (10′ and 58′) scored an impressive brace for India while David Goodfield (29′) and Nicholas Bandurak (56′) were on the scoresheet for England. Thomas Sorsby, James Albery and captain Zachary Wallace converted their attempts in the shootout for the hosts, besides one attempt that led to a penalty stroke, which was also scored off by Wallace. The first half was a slightly cagey affair, but still both teams found the net and created a few chances. India made a bright start to the first quarter, claiming an early penalty corner; however, captain Harmanpreet Singh’s dragflick was saved by English goalkeeper James Mazarelo. England too secured a penalty corner at the other end in the fifth minute but Bandurak’s attempt was stopped by the Indian defence. The opening goal came in the …

Indian Men’s Foil team qualify for Asian Games

Indian Men’s Foil team qualify for Asian Games

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The competitive action at the 26th Asian Senior Fencing Championship reached its absolute peak on the final day at Bharat Mandapam, with the last two team titles decided in intense clashes on the pistes. Host nation India showed clear technical growth and marked a monumental developmental step forward while matching up against Asia’s elite, deeply seasoned Olympic-cycle structures. In the Men’s Foil Team category, the local rotation of Sachin, Sanasam Hemash Singh, Tejas Manoj Patil, and Aditya relied on rapid blade-work and close-quarter infighting. Backed by an electric home crowd, they minimized unforced errors and stayed highly competitive in their middle-relay blocks against world-class opposition to secure an impressive 8th position, locking in a direct qualification spot for the upcoming Asian Games. Meanwhile, the Women’s Épée Team of Prachi Lohan, Taniksha Khatri, Mitva Jesangbhai Chaudhari, and Yashkeerat Kaur Hayer brought immense tactical grit to the strip. Building on individual baselines, the local foursome successfully managed the clock and distance against towering continental units to show outstanding structural resilience and lock down a solid 9th-place ranking. …

India holds off Pakistan’s late fightback to secure 4-3 win in FIH Pro League

India holds off Pakistan’s late fightback to secure 4-3 win in FIH Pro League

Published by Webster

The Indian men’s hockey team overcame a spirited late comeback from Pakistan to secure a thrilling 4-3 victory in their opening match of the London leg of the 2025-26 FIH Pro League on Tuesday. Despite controlling possession and creating the better opportunities early on, India fell behind in the eighth minute when Ahmad Nadeem converted a penalty corner to give Pakistan a surprise lead at the end of the first quarter. India responded strongly in the second period and quickly turned the match around. Abhishek equalised in the 23rd minute after capitalising on a rebound during a swift counterattack. Just a minute later, Nilakanta Sharma completed the turnaround with a clinical finish, handing India a 2-1 advantage heading into the halftime break. Pakistan’s late charge falls short The Harmanpreet Singh-led side continued to dominate after the restart and extended its lead in the 40th minute. Sukhjeet Singh capped off an impressive attacking move to make it 3-1 and put India firmly in control. Rajinder then added a fourth goal from a penalty corner in the …

India ease past Kazakhstan to secure second consecutive win

India ease past Kazakhstan to secure second consecutive win

Published by Webster

India defeated Kazakhstan to register their second straight win at the AVC Men’s Volleyball Nations Cup at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on Monday. The hosts continued their dominance, claiming another straight-set victory (25-16, 25-21, 25-15) and remained at the top of the standings with six points. India’s outside hitter Chirag Yadav led the scoring with 14 points and an impressive attack success rate of 25.64%, while captain Jerome Vinith added 13 points. Kazakhstan tried to put pressure on the Indian defence early in all three sets, but as the match progressed, India asserted its superiority and comfortably sealed the contest. Kazakhstan’s outside hitter Vladislav Mastikhin was the highest scorer of the match with 16 points. However, he received little support from his teammates, while Kazakhstan also committed several unforced errors that handed India crucial points. With this victory, India climbed four places to No. 52 in the FIVB World Rankings. They will next face Chinese Taipei on Monday in what is expected to be a much more competitive encounter. Disclaimer: We …

India registers 3-1 win over World Champions Germany

India registers 3-1 win over World Champions Germany

Published by Webster

The Indian Men’s Hockey Team produced a solid performance to defeat Germany 3-1 in their second match of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2025-26 Rotterdam leg on Wednesday. Goals from Mandeep Singh (7’), Shilanand Lakra (13’) and Nilakanta Sharma (35’) led India’s impressive win, which also highlighted the team’s strong defensive structure. Midfielder Hardik Singh was named ‘Player of the Match’ for his excellent display in shepherding play from the midfield, while Manpreet Singh went on to break Dilip Tirkey’s record of 412 caps to become the most capped Indian player in history. India started the match well by controlling possession, which build early pressure. It paid off in the 7th minute when Mandeep scored with a sharp turn in front of goal to give India a 1-0 lead. Just before the end of the first quarter, Lakra beat German goalkeeper Alexander Stadler with a fine strike to make it 2-0 in the 13th minute. In the second quarter, Germany changed their press and tried to push deep into the Indian half, but the Indian …

Indian men finish runners-up in inaugural CASA Rugby 7s

Indian men finish runners-up in inaugural CASA Rugby 7s

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The Indian men’s rugby sevens team clinched a silver medal at the 2026 CASA Rugby Sevens tournament in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Sunday. India faced a heavy 10-31 defeat to the top-seeded Sri Lankan team in the final of the inaugural edition of the competition. This event is a newly introduced regional annual championship involving countries from Central and South Asia, helping the teams to grow their international calendar. Indian men had a good start to the tournament, winning all three matches on the first day against hosts Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and then Mongolia. They continued the momentum and defeated Pakistan on the second day and booked a spot in the final with their fourth consecutive win. #News| India beats Pakistan 20-14 to reach the final of Inaugural CASA Rugby 7s Tournament. This was the Indian men’s team’s fourth consecutive win in the pool stage, keeping them unbeaten. This event is a regional championship involving countries from Central and South Asia.… pic.twitter.com/xZX7JSvthM — The Bridge (@the_bridge_in) May 17, 2026 In the final group game, they faced their …

PR Sreejesh questions Hockey India’s preference for a foreign coach

PR Sreejesh questions Hockey India’s preference for a foreign coach

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Two-time Olympic bronze medalist PR Sreejesh took to social media on Wednesday to question Hockey India’s preference for a foreign coach for the Indian junior men’s hockey team. Sreejesh was appointed as the junior team’s head coach in August 2024, immediately after the leading goalkeeper announced retirement after winning a bronze at the Paris Olympics. His term has now come to an end. “It seems like my coaching career comes to an end after 1.5 years, during which we played 5 tournaments and secured 5 podium finishes, including a Junior World Cup bronze medal,” PR Sreejesh wrote on social media on Wednesday. “I have heard about coaches getting fired after bad performances. But this is the first time I am experiencing being removed to make way for a foreign coach,” he added. Under him, Team India secured a historic podium finish at the 2025 FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup. The team was trailing 0-2 and came back to win 4-2 against Argentina in the bronze medal match. “The Hockey India President stated that the …