India finished the Asian Champions Trophy 2021 on a high. On Wednesday, it defeated arch-rival Pakistan 4-3 in the bronze medal playoff in Dhaka. Being the joint defending champion along with Pakistan, India had lost to Japan 3-5 in the semis on Tuesday. India will now shift its focus to the Asian Games next year, which would act as qualifiers for the Paris Olympics.
India had already defeated Pakistan earlier during the round-robin stage 3-1. India went on to top the round, being unbeaten. While it was a favourite to win the gold, it would be disappointed with the bronze-medal finish. Meanwhile, South Korea and Japan will be taking on each other in the gold medal clash.