Hockey India League: Our belief took us to title, says Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers captain Rupinder Pal Singh

Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers came from behind to edge out Hyderabad Toofans 4-3 in the men’s Hockey India League final.

The thrilling Men’s Hockey India League 2024-25 season concluded spectacularly as Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers edged out Hyderabad Toofans 4-3 in a gripping final at a packed Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on Saturday.

Jugraj Singh (25’, 32’, 35’) delivered for the Tigers when it mattered the most as he netted a scintillating hattrick in the final. However, the title-deciding match lived up to its billing as it went down to the wire with the scoreline level at 3-3 till the very last quarter.

However, Sam Lane (54′) converted a penalty corner with six minutes remaining to seal the deal for the Tigers. With the victory, the Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers also claimed INR 3 crore prize money.

Talking about his team’s roller-coaster journey in the tournament, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers Captain Rupinder Pal Singh said, “It’s been an incredible journey for us, especially with the return of the Hockey India League after a seven-year hiatus.

We are very thankful to Hockey India for organising the tournament so flawlessly. Our path as a team had its share of ups and downs, but in the end, everything came together perfectly. We believed that carried us to the title, and I am immensely proud of my team for their hard work and resilience throughout the tournament.”

Further talking about his strategy for the final, Rupinder said, “We were determined to execute our penalty corner strategies more effectively, especially after missing key opportunities in the semifinals. In the final, we needed to make the most of those chances, and we did. Additionally, we concentrated on tightening our defensive structure and maintaining maximum possession. All of these efforts helped us bounce back in the match and ultimately secure the title.”

Notably, the Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers had topped the group stage with 19 points from 10 games, having secured 6 wins, 3 losses in regular time, and 1 shootout defeat. In the semifinals, they defeated Tamil Nadu Dragons 2 – 2 (6 – 5 SO).

Jugraj Singh turned out to be the standout performer for the Tigers as he emerged as the tournament’s top scorer with 12 goals to his name.

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