India clinched a hard-fought 4–3 victory over hosts Malaysia in a riveting contest at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2025 in Ipoh on Wednesday. In a match that swung back and forth from the opening whistle, goals from Selvam Karthi, Sukhjeet Singh, Amit Rohidas, and captain Sanjay powered world No. 7 India to their second win of the tournament.
Malaysia, ranked 12th, matched India stride for stride, with Faizal Saari, Fitri Saari, and captain Marhan Jalil keeping the home crowd on its feet throughout the encounter.
Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2025 Malaysia vs India: As it happened
The Indian hockey team got a good start , pinning Malaysia deep inside their own half and earning a penalty corner within the first three minutes. Sustained pressure paid off in the 7th minute when Sukhjeet Singh’s neat build-up play set up Selvam Karthi for a simple tap-in to make it 1–0.
Malaysia clawed back into the game when a green card to Yashdeep Siwach handed them a penalty corner. A deflection off the Indian goalkeeper allowed Faizal Saari to equalise in the 13th minute, ending the first quarter at 1–1.
The second quarter saw India’s forwards attacking in waves, their high press unsettling the Malaysian defence. Sukhjeet Singh restored India’s lead in the 21st minute, calmly slotting home after Abhishek’s attempt rebounded into his path. India carried a 2–1 advantage into halftime.
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An intense third quarter unfolded as both sides traded blows. Malaysia capitalised when India went a man down due to Jugraj Singh’s green card, with Fitri Saari firing home the equaliser in the 36th minute.
India hit back almost immediately. Experienced defender Amit Rohidas converted a penalty corner in the 39th minute to make it 3–2. But the drama continued as Selvam Karthi received a yellow card, giving Malaysia breathing room. The hosts struck again just before the whistle, with captain Marhan Jalil levelling the score at 3–3 in the 45th minute.
With the scores tied , India pushed forward relentlessly in the final quarter. Goalkeeper Pawan produced a crucial save to deny Malaysia a go-ahead strike, keeping the match in the balance.
The decisive moment arrived in the 53rd minute when Indian captain Sanjay confidently converted a penalty stroke, giving his side the lead for the fourth time. India then showed composure and grit, defending a series of late Malaysian penalty corners to seal a memorable 4–3 win.
Also Read: Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2025: Where To Watch For Free, Live Streaming Details
Next Match
The victory lifts India to third in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2025 standings with six points from three matches. They previously defeated Korea in their opener before losing to Belgium.
India will face New Zealand next on Thursday, November 27, in what promises to be another crucial encounter as the pool stage intensifies.
