The Indian men’s hockey team thrashed Malaysia 5-1 in the final at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Saturday, winning the gold medal and successfully defending their Asian title for the first time in history.

The victory also secured India’s qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics 2028.

India won their fifth hockey gold at the Asian Games, and the 2026 edition became the first time both the men’s and women’s Indian teams won gold together. The women’s team had beaten China earlier to win their first gold medal in 44 years, ending a long wait for the title.

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The men’s side, led by Harmanpreet Singh, had earlier defeated arch-rivals and the most successful team at the Asiad, Pakistan, 4-3 in a nerve-wracking semifinal to reach the summit clash. Against Malaysia, India took the lead through a Harmanpreet penalty corner conversion early in the first quarter, only for Malaysia to hit back within three minutes.

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India regained the lead for the second time in the match in the second quarter. Shilanand Lakra, with a good run inside the box, won India a penalty corner, and Hardik made a good stop on the injection before Jugraj took a shot to put India back in front.

India earned another penalty corner, this one a variation, with the ball sent to the player to the goalkeeper’s left. The ball seemed to have hit the man standing next to the keeper on the post, and the umpire awarded a penalty stroke. Hardik Singh stepped up and slotted it into the goal to make it 3-1, putting India firmly in control of the final.

Lakra quadrupled India’s lead in the fourth quarter, leaving no room for a comeback by Malaysia. Skipper Harmanpreet drag flicked another to score his second goal of the final, making it 5-1 in India’s favour.

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This was India’s 21st gold at the Games in Nagoya, which helped the country move to fourth in the medal tally, leapfrogging Uzbekistan. The triumph caps a landmark campaign for Indian hockey, with both teams returning home with the top prize for the first time in the same edition.