Patrick “Paddy” Upton, who has mentored world champions across multiple sports, spoke to PixelSports on the sidelines of the Asia Cup 2025. Upton underlined that hockey requires elite fitness and constant mental conditioning from all eleven players, praising Craig Fulton, Alan Tan, and the Indian team’s dedication in Rajgir’s heat.

The Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup 2025 is set with India, Malaysia, South Korea, and China qualifying after decisive Day 4 results. India routed Kazakhstan 15-0, Malaysia thrashed Chinese Taipei by the same margin, South Korea defeated Bangladesh 5-1, while China and Japan played out a dramatic 2-2 draw.

India secured their place in the Super 4s with a 3-2 win over Japan on Day 3 of the Asia Cup 2025, thanks to goals from Harmanpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh. Meanwhile, China demolished Kazakhstan 13-1, led by a hat-trick from LU Yuanlin, to revive their Super 4s hopes.

The Asia Cup 2025 in Rajgir, Bihar promises high drama as eight teams compete for a direct spot at the 2026 Hockey World Cup. With India and South Korea tipped as favorites, Malaysia, Japan, China, Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei, and debutants Kazakhstan aim to shake up the pools in a landmark tournament for Asian hockey.