India’s men’s hockey team delivered a commanding performance in Cape Town, sealing a 2-0 series win after sweeping the three-match Test rubber against South Africa with a 4-1 victory in the final game at Hartleyvale.
Ranked seventh, India opened the series by beating world No. 12 South Africa 5-2 in Stellenbosch. The second match at Hartleyvale ended in a 2-2 draw, before India dominated the reverse fixture again, tallying a 4-1 win to clinch the series.
In the series opener, South Africa struck early when Mustapha Cassiem found the net in the fourth minute. India quickly answered as Shilanand Lakra levelled in the 12th minute and Aditya Lalage gave India the lead in the 14th. Debutant Viwe Mbata equalized for the hosts in the 39th minute, but India surged ahead in the final period with a seven-minute burst—Amit Rohidas at 48’, Harmanpreet Singh at 53’, and Dilpreet Singh at 55’ securing a 5-2 victory.
The second Test at Hartleyvale finished 2-2. Captain Harmanpreet Singh gave India the early lead with a penalty corner conversion in the fourth minute, but South Africa’s Dayaan Cassiem (31’) and Hans Neethling (37’) put the hosts ahead. Harmanpreet completed a brace in the 48th minute to salvage the draw.
India closed the tour with a 4-1 win in the final match at Hartleyvale. Michael Horan’s late strike offered little consolation for the hosts as Sukhjeet Singh, Abhishek, and Mandeep Singh added goals for India, who maintained an unbeaten streak on the tour.
Under head coach Craig Fulton, India dispatched an 18-player squad to Cape Town for the senior team’s last assignment of the year.
