The Hero Asian Champions Trophy is all set to take place in Muscat, Oman from the 18th of October 2018. The event will feature hosts Oman and the top 5 sides of Asia. With Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Oman, and India to compete in Muscat, the stakes could not be higher.
This edition would mark the 5th of its kind. The 4 previous championships have been won twice each by India (2011 and 2016) and Pakistan (2012 and 2013). Oman was awarded the rights to hold this edition, with previous editions being held in Malaysia, China, Qatar, and Japan.
Pakistan is the only side to have featured in all 4 previous finals, having won two and secured the runners-up spot in two. In the previous edition held in 2016 in Malaysia, India edged out Pakistan by a slight margin of 3-2. Malaysia has secured the 3rd spot on all previous 4 occasions.
Malaysia, come to the tournament having claimed Silver in the Asian Games 2018 as well as having played high-intensity hockey in the recently held 2018 Darwin International Hockey Open. Asian Games Gold medalist Japan would also be looking to make the Hero men’s Asian Champions Trophy another one of their success stories after their sublime campaign in Jakarta last month, where they were awarded the Gold medal.
Korea and Oman would also see this as an excellent platform to prove their mettle at one of the most prestigious tournaments of the calendar year. The time is less and the stakes high. This edition of the Asian Champions Trophy seems to have everyone on edge.
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