Asian Games 2026: Dilpreet Singh Scores Hat-Trick As India Hammer Sri Lanka 16-1

Dragflicker Jugraj Singh and strikers Abhishek and Dilpreet Singh scored a hat-trick each as the Indian men's hockey team hammered a lowly Sri Lanka 16-1 in its second Pool A match at the Asian Games in Kakamigahara on Tuesday.

India had earlier defeated Indonesia 13-1.

Jugraj (10th, 22nd, 42nd and 53rd) scored four goals, while Abhishek (11th, 17th, 49th), and Dilpreet (30th, 38th, 55th) scored three field goals each.

Skipper Harmanpreet Singh (16th, 45th), Mandeep Singh (5th), Sukhjeet Singh (29th), Manpreet Singh (31st), and Vivek Sagar Prasad (36th) also found the net.

Sri Lanka's lone goal -- their first against India in the Asian Games history -- was scored by Suresh Rathnayake in the 50th minute.

India will next play South Korea on Thursday.

The Indians were expectedly the dominant side from the onset as they controlled the proceedings against the unfancied Lankans.

It took India just five minutes to break the deadlock when Mandeep scored from an assist from Abhishek. About five minutes later, Jugraj doubled India's lead scoring with a powerful dragflick from a set piece.

A minute later, it was Abhishek's turn to register his name in the scoresheet executing a fine field goal.

Skipper Harmanpreet was not to be left behind as he converted a penalty corner in the 16th minute. Abhishek scored his second goal of the day a minute later through another field try.

Jugraj followed suit by showing his might as a dragflicker, converting another penalty corner in the 22nd minute to hand India a 6-0 lead.

Sukhjeet also wrote his name in the scoresheet, slamming the ball into an open goal after receiving a pass from vice-captain Hardik Singh, after the initial try from a penalty corner didn't yield the desired result.

Dilpreet made it 8-0 for India at half-time, deflecting in a cheeky deflection from Mandeep.

A minute after the change of ends, it was Manpreet's turn to score a rare field goal after being the team's midfield mainstay for a long time.

Vivek then slammed the net with a reverse shot five minutes later, before Dilpreet scored his second of the day after a brilliant one-two with Sukhjeet to open the Lankan defence.

Jugraj scored his hat-trick by perfectly executing an effort from a penalty stroke, and Harmanpreet converted another penalty corner at the stroke of the third quarter to make the scoreline 13-0.

Abhishek soon completed his hat-trick with a brilliant back of the stick goal, before Sri Lanka scored their first goal in Asian Games history against India through Rathnayake.

Jugraj scored his fourth from the spot before Dilpreet registered his second hat-trick of the Asian Games after receiving a fine pass from Mandeep.