India batter Bangladesh 7-0 in Asia Cup

Dhaka: Favourites India produced yet another clinical performance to maul minnows Bangladesh 7-0, registering their second consecutive win at the men’s Asia Cup hockey tournament, here on Friday. India beat Japan 5-1 in the opening encounter.

Ranked 6th in the world, Indians were no match for their less-fancied rivals as they controlled the proceedings from start to finish en route their emphatic win. India scored five goals in the first two quarters while another two after the change of ends. Gurjant Singh (7th minute), Akashdeep Singh (10th), Lalit Upadhyay (13th), Amit Rohidas (20th), Harmanpreet Singh (28th, 47th) and Ramandeep Singh (46th) were the goal scorers for India in the Pool A encounter. As expected, the Indians were completely in control of the game and displayed superrior hockey as compared to the hosts. But one thing which might be a cause of concern for chief coach Sjoerd Marije is India’s penalty corner conversion rate. India secured as many as 13 short corners in the entire four quarters but could make use of just two.

The Indians lead Pool A with six points from two wins and will next play arch-rivals Pakistan in their last pool encounter on Sunday.

Meanwhile in the other match of Pool A, Japan held Pakistan to a 2-2 draw.