Harmanpreet Singh scored a brace in his second consecutive game to help the Indian men’s hockey team beat hosts Bangladesh 7-0 in their second Pool A match at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium in Dhaka on Friday.

Besides Harmanpreet, Gurjant Singh (7′), Akashdeep Singh (10′), Lalit Upadhyay (13′), Amit Rohidas (20′), and Ramandeep Singh (46’) scored to take India on the top of the pool table. Harmanpreet found the back of the net in the 28th and 47th minute.

Bangladesh looked determined when they began but a clinical performance from the Indian team took control of the game in early minutes of the game.

India were on a goal-fest right from the start. First, it was Gurjant Singh who received a brilliant assist from Amit Rohidas on the right baseline which he simply had to nudge into the post to fetch India 1-0 lead in the 7th minute.

In the 10th minute, Akashdeep Singh was at ease when he worked a perfect pass from SV Sunil to put the ball past Bangladeshi goalkeeper Abu Nippon to double India’s lead.

Three minutes later, Lalit Upadhyay struck his second goal of the tournament when he put one past Abu Nippon as India went into the first break with a comfortable 3-0 lead.

In the 20th minute, Gurjant Singh swiftly dribbled into the left flank to find Amit Rohidas perfectly poised in front of the post. Rohidas, with no real threat from Bangladesh defenders, struck the ball into the goal winning India a 4-0 lead.

Only a minute later, India won four back-to-back PCs but Bangladeshi defenders denied Harmanpreet Singh a successful dragflick. However, in the 28th minute a deliberate stick-check in the circle by Bangladeshi defender saw them concede a penalty stroke. Harmanpreet made no mistake in converting it and take India’s lead to a formidable 5-0.

A clever variation saw Varun softly flick the ball to injector Ramandeep Singh who deflected the ball into the goal earning India their sixth goal of the match. India won their 10th PC of the match within seconds and this time the umpire awarded another PC as Varun’s effort was obstructed by Bangladeshi defender. This time, Harmanpreet fiercely struck the ball to the top of the net to earn India a 7-0 lead.

India will next take on Pakistan in their third Pool A match on Sunday.