Harmanpreet Singh scored twice as India defeated Malaysia 5-1 to retain the Asian Games men’s hockey gold and secure direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

India’s eighth-place finish at the 2026 Men’s Hockey World Cup was disappointing for a team coming off two consecutive Olympic medals. Despite flashes of attacking quality, defensive lapses, inconsistency and dependence on Harmanpreet Singh’s penalty corners prevented India from challenging the world’s best.