Mohali Makes Its International Debut as the Asian Champions Trophy Reaches the Semifinals
Mohali steps onto the international hockey map today. After a league stage played entirely in Jalandhar, the Asian Champions Trophy moves to the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium for the knockouts, and the venue hosts its first-ever international hockey fixtures. Three games, one new stage, and a trophy to be decided by Thursday night.
The day opens with the fifth-place playoff between China and Bangladesh at 2 p.m. IST (1:30 p.m. PKT). China finished fifth on two points and Bangladesh sixth on one, and they drew 1-1 when they met on Monday, so this one is genuinely up for grabs. Neither side wants to leave Punjab with the wooden spoon.
Then the semifinals. Japan v Malaysia goes first at 4:30 p.m. IST (4 p.m. PKT), a rematch of Monday’s league game, which Japan won 2-1 to snatch second place. Malaysia finished third on nine points, and they’ve already shown they can live with Japan. The second semifinal, India v Korea at 7 p.m. IST (6:30 p.m. PKT), is the one everyone will be watching. India finished the league stage with a perfect record: five wins, 34 goals scored, five conceded, capped by an 8-0 demolition of these same opponents on Monday. Korea still finished fourth on six points, but they know exactly what they’re walking into.
One subplot to watch is Abhishek. The Indian forward twisted his ankle in the 4-2 win over Malaysia on Sunday, sat out the Korea game, and was due to be reassessed on Tuesday to decide whether he can continue in the tournament. He’d scored three goals in three games before the injury, and India will want him available for the final if they get there.
Thursday brings the medal matches at the same venue: the bronze-medal game at 4 p.m. PKT and the final at 6:30 p.m. PKT. India are defending champions, unbeaten, and playing at home. But knockout hockey has a way of ignoring league tables, and Malaysia and Japan have both already shown they can hurt the favourites.
