New Delhi [India], August 28 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his best wishes to all the participating teams in the Asia Cup 2025 Hockey, which will kickstart from Friday in Bihar's Rajgir on National Sports Day (NSD), a celebration of the birth anniversary of Indian hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.

The Asia Cup will kickstart in Rajgir with clashes between Japan and Kazakhstan and India and China on Friday. The final will be played on September 7. The Men in Blue are a prolific presence in the tournament, having won it thrice in 2003, 2007 and 2017 and finishing as runners-up five times. They are featured in Pool A alongside Japan, China and Kazakhstan.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, 'Tomorrow, 29th August (which is also National Sports Day and the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand), the Men's Hockey Asia Cup 2025 begins in the historic city of Rajgir in Bihar. I extend my best wishes to all the participating teams, players, officials and supporters across Asia.'

He added in another tweet that hockey has 'held a special place in the hearts of millions across India and Asia'.

'Hockey has always held a special place in the hearts of millions across India and Asia. I am confident that this tournament will be full of thrilling matches, displays of extraordinary talent and memorable moments that will inspire future generations of sports lovers,' he added in another tweet.

PM Modi also expressed joy in Bihar getting to host the tournament and how it has become a 'vibrant sporting hub' in recent times.

'It is a matter of great joy that Bihar is hosting the Men's Hockey Asia Cup 2025. In recent times, Bihar has made a mark as a vibrant sporting hub, hosting key tournaments such as the Khelo India Youth Games 2025, the Asia Rugby U20 Sevens Championship 2025, the ISTAF Sepaktakraw World Cup 2024, and the Women's Asian Champions Trophy 2024. This consistent momentum reflects Bihar's growing infrastructure, grassroots enthusiasm and commitment to nurturing talent across diverse sporting disciplines,' he added in another tweet.

https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1961073994133835931

The tournament, a quadrennial event that began in 1982, also serves as a qualification event for the 2026 FIH Men's Hockey World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium.

The winners of the Asia Cup will earn a direct berth to the World Cup, while the teams finishing from second to sixth will advance to the FIH World Cup Qualifiers, scheduled to be held in February-March 2026.

Harmanpreet will captain an 18-member Indian men's hockey team in Rajgir. The experienced squad features stalwarts such as Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Mandeep Singh, and Amit Rohidas.

A total of eight teams will contest for the title and have been divided into two groups of four. After single-headed round-robin matches, the top two from each pool will qualify for the Super 4s, with the top two from that stage contesting the final on September 7.

Pool A: India, Japan, China, Kazakhstan

Pool B: South Korea, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei. (ANI)