Bangladesh thrashes Chinese Taipei 8-3 in Asia Cup Hockey

Bangladesh bounced back from a 4-1 opening loss to Malaysia by thrashing Chinese Taipei 8-3 in their second match of the Asia Cup Hockey on Saturday (August 30) in Rajgir, Bihar, India.

After a tightly contested first half that ended 2-2, Bangladesh took control in the third quarter. Sohanur opened the scoring, followed by Rakibul Hasan’s two quick goals and Ashraful Islam’s strike in the 44th minute, giving the team a commanding 6-2 lead.

In the final quarter, Rezaul Babu scored in the 55th minute and Ashraful added his second goal in the 57th minute to seal the victory. Chinese Taipei managed a consolation goal, but Bangladesh’s win was never in doubt.

Ranked 29th in the world, Bangladesh outplayed 38th-ranked Chinese Taipei as expected. Their next Group B opponent is defending champion South Korea, who defeated Chinese Taipei 7-0. A narrow loss against South Korea could still allow Bangladesh a chance to qualify for the 2026 World Cup from the third round.