Skipper Harmanpreet Singh credited India’s latest success to robust group camaraderie, emphasising that their deep bond and willingness to “die for each other” helped them overcome China to win the Asian Champions Trophy for a record-extending fifth time. India rode on Jugraj Singh’s late strike to defeat China 1-0 in a tense closing in Hulunbuir on Tuesday. Pakistan received the bronze medal with a 5-2 win over South Korea. “The ultimate was actually intense; the Chinese language had been respiratory down our necks all through the sport and made it actually troublesome for us to create a transparent aim scoring probability,” Harmanpreet stated in a Hockey India launch.
“However the group over the past yr has constructed immense belief in one another. We’re prepared to die for each other. It was this sense of unity reassuring us that we are going to discover a option to win the sport collectively.” Harmanpreet stated India’s profitable run in final one yr has instilled a powerful perception amongst gamers.
“The gold medal in final yr’s Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai, the gold medal within the Hangzhou Asian Video games and the bronze from the Paris 2024 Olympics have instilled a deep camaraderie throughout the group.” Harmanpreet, who has been shortlisted for FIH’s Participant-of-the-12 months Award after scoring 10 targets at Paris, as soon as once more led from the entrance because the group remained unbeaten within the competitors.
Out of India’s 26 targets within the competitors, Harmanpreet scored seven and all had been from penalty corners.
Harmanpreet stated it’s now essential for India to maintain constructing on the success.
“We’re proud to have retained our title however the work would not cease now,” he stated.
“We have now areas we have to enhance; we have to construct depth in our squad as effectively. The group will head again to camp after a brief break and begin getting ready for the tournaments forward to make our supporters proud once more,” he added.
India vice-captain Vivek Sagar Prasad stated the Olympics bronze medal made India the “group to beat” within the match.
“All of the groups within the group stage had been robust to play in opposition to. The bronze medal from the Olympics painted a goal on our backs; we had been the group to beat,” he stated.
“However each single particular person on the group stepped as much as make it look like we had been cruising previous our opponents. The children slotted in seamlessly, Krishan and Suraj alternated to bail us out of difficult conditions.” “The defenders remained dependable, and the midfielders and forwards ran riot on the pitch. All in all, it was very pleasurable,” he added.
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