Hockey Punjab Reclaims their throne.

Punjab Reigns Supreme! Jugraj’s Twin Strikes Propel Team to 4-1 Victory Over Madhya Pradesh in National Hockey Final

The triumphant Punjab team after winning the men’s national hockey title after defeating Madhya Pradesh in the final in Jhansi on April 14, 2025.

This was the 15^th edition of the highly anticipated national hockey championship unfolded over 12 action-packed days, running from April 4 to April 15 at the historic Major Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. Mirroring the format of the Senior Women’s National Championship, Hockey India organized the tournament into distinct divisions to enhance competitiveness. A total of 30 elite teams battled for supremacy, with the participants split into three divisions—Division A (featuring top-tier contenders), Division B (showcasing emerging talent), and Division C (highlighting rising squads)—creating an exciting and structured pathway for teams to progress through the ranks.

The committee members of Hockey India inaugurating The 15th men’s Hockey National Championship.

Among the three divisions, Division A emerged as the most electrifying, delivering edge-of-the-seat action with its 12 powerhouse teams—(Hockey Punjab, Hockey Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh Hockey, Manipur Hockey, Hockey Haryana, Hockey Karnataka, Hockey Maharashtra, Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu, Hockey Bengal, Le Puducherry Hockey, Hockey Association of Odisha, and Hockey Jharkhand). The competition was packed with nail-biting encounters and unexpected twists, none more shocking than the dramatic downfall of defending champions Hockey Association of Odisha, who slumped to a second-last finish in the standings—a stunning reversal of fortunes that left fans and pundits alike in disbelief.

Final To remember.

The grand finale on the evening of April 14th belonged entirely to Punjab Hockey as they scripted a glorious comeback, overpowering a resilient Madhya Pradesh side 4-1 in a thrilling title clash. The Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in Jhansi witnessed Punjab’s triumphant return to the pinnacle of Indian hockey as they lifted the coveted trophy in the 15th Men’s National Hockey Championship on Tuesday night.

In what was a perfect redemption story, the champions displayed absolute dominance when it mattered most, converting their experience and skill into a commanding victory. Though Madhya Pradesh put up a spirited fight, Punjab’s clinical performance proved too much to handle, as they outclassed their opponents in front of a roaring crowd to reclaim the national crown after years of waiting.

A star-studded Punjab side featuring a bulk of current and former national team players including India vice-captain Hardik Singh and coached by former India coach Rajinder Singh was always favourite for the title but knew it won’t be easy after having suffered its only defeat in the competition to MP in the pool stages.

Playing aggressively from the beginning Punjab, led by a tireless Hardik in the middle, had the bulk of possession. It created enough chances including a penalty corner in the 24th minute but was unable to break past the MP defence and goalkeeper Sanjay in a free-flowing game, before a stick check by Jarmanpreet Singh gave MP its first PC and Pratap Lakra made no mistake slamming past Krishan Pathak three minutes from half time for the opener.

Stung, Punjab hit back immediately and was rewarded by a PC and equaliser 25 seconds before break. Post resumption, Punjab continued to push hard and was rewarded when Jaskaran Singh lifted the rebound past goalkeeper Princedeep Singh after Gursahibjit Singh’s shot was saved in the 38th minute to go ahead. Maninder Singh’s rasping reverse hit from an acute angle in the 46th minute further extended the lead and thereafter it was all Punjab and even though a desperate MP tried to fight back, there was little it could do.

Earlier in the day, host Uttar Pradesh rode on overall dominance and control of the game and finished third in the competition, ending its campaign with a 5-1 win against Manipur in the bronze medal play-off.

The results: Final: Punjab 4 (Jugraj Singh 30, 49, Jaskaran Singh 38, Maninder Singh 46) beat Madhya Pradesh 1 (Pratap Lakra 28).

3-4 play-off: Uttar Pradesh 5 (Sourabh Kushwaha 22, 49, Shardanand Tiwari 35, Atul Deep 48, Shivam Anand 60) beat Manipur 1 (Dhananjoy Meetei 45).

The Lions of Punjab were ready to hunt on their prey.