Two Days to Go: India Open Against Bangladesh as Asian Champions Trophy Returns to Punjab
Two days. That’s all that’s left before international hockey comes back to Punjab in a big way. The Asian Champions Trophy starts on Tuesday 27 October in Jalandhar, and defending champions India open against Bangladesh.
The format is clean and the stakes are high. The league stage runs in Jalandhar at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium through 2 November, then everything moves to Mohali. The semi-finals are on 4 November and the medal matches on 5 November at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium. Win the league stage and you get the kinder semi-final. Lose early and you’re chasing from day one.
India come in as the team to beat, and they know it. Harmanpreet Singh captains the side, Krishan Bahadur Pathak is back in goal, and the squad keeps the core that won Asian Games gold. Hockey India named the 18-man squad plus two reserves on 13 October, and the message was continuity: same spine, same belief, home crowd behind them. Playing a tournament in Punjab is special for this group, and you can bet the Jalandhar crowd will make it feel that way.
Japan were the first team to arrive in Mohali, landing on 23 October, which tells you how seriously the visitors are taking this. Malaysia’s squad was named on 22 October after a camp in Perth, and the Speedy Tigers will arrive believing they can push anyone in Asia. Bangladesh, meanwhile, get the toughest possible start: the champions, in front of their home crowd, on opening night.
That’s the beauty of an opening game like this. India can’t afford a slow start, because a slip against Bangladesh would hand every other team belief. Bangladesh have nothing to lose and everything to gain from one famous night. And for the fans in Jalandhar, it’s the first taste of a tournament they’ve waited a long time to host.
Two days out, the picture is set. Squads are named, teams are arriving, and Tuesday can’t come fast enough.Related:
https://sportscursor.com/japan-arrive-mohali-first-team-asian-champions-trophy-2026/
https://sportscursor.com/sreejesh-fulton-india-act-2026-full-strength-squad/
https://sportscursor.com/live/
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