India achieves convincing victory over Thailand in Asian Championship

Thanks to Sonali Dinusha's third century, Sri Lanka managed to secure a draw in the second and final match of the series against India. Nevertheless, the visiting team won the series with a score of 1-0. India had previously won the first match in Galle by a margin of 165 runs.

In the second match, the Indian team also aimed for a victory. The Indian squad initially gained a comfortable lead, reaching 213 runs in the first innings, but Dinusha (undefeated, scoring 133 runs) once again stood in the way of India. Her outstanding performance helped Sri Lanka salvage the match, and the game ultimately ended in a draw after the hosts scored 216 runs in the second innings.

The dominance of the Indian team in Sri Lanka remains. The Indian team, which has been undefeated in Test series here since 2010, also won the two-match series in 2026 with a score of 1-0. It is worth noting that in 2010, when the Indian team visited Sri Lanka, the series ended in a 1-1 draw. After that, in 2015, the Indian team won the series 2-1.

During the Indian team's visit in 2026, in the first match played in Galle, the hosts suffered a defeat by a margin of 165 runs. The second match in Colombo ended in a draw, the result of which was announced on Thursday (August 28). India won the series 1-0, thereby maintaining the record of winning every trip to Sri Lanka since 2015.

At the Galle International Stadium, India scored 462 runs in the first innings. Devdutt Padikkal demonstrated brilliant play, scoring 167 runs. Sri Lanka was brought up to 284 runs. In the second innings, India managed to score 193 runs, but Manav Sutera took 6 wickets, reducing Sri Lanka's score to 206 runs. India won by a margin of 165 runs. Sutera took 10 wickets in the match. This match also became India's 600th Test match.

At the SSC Ground in Colombo, India declared the first innings, scoring 503/9. Padikkal once again scored a century. Sri Lanka was brought up to 290 runs. India decided to follow on. The hosts continued to play confidently in the second innings, but the match ended in a draw. The series remained with India at 1-0.

In 2008, when the Indian team visited Sri Lanka, it lost a three-match series 2-1. This was the last defeat of the Indian team in a Test series on Sri Lankan soil. In 2010, the series between India and Sri Lanka ended in a 1-1 draw. This was followed by India's victory in 2015 (2-1), 2017 (3-0), and now in 2026 (1-0), with India winning each time.

Young spinner Manav Sutera and batsman Devdutt Padikkal became stars of this series. The team, under Shubman Gill's leadership, managed to control the game even on difficult pitches. India also gained important points in the ICC World Test Championship.

Results of India's Test series in Sri Lanka since 2010:

• 2010: India's visit to Sri Lanka: Series 1-1 draw (3 Tests)
• 2015: India's visit to Sri Lanka: India won 2-1 (3 Tests)
• 2017: India's visit to Sri Lanka: India won 3-0 (3 Tests)
• 2026: India's visit to Sri Lanka: India won 1-0 (2 Tests) – victory in Galle by a margin of 165 runs, test in Colombo draw

For the Indian team, the door to the semi-finals of the 2026 men's Hockey World Cup is not yet closed. Despite defeats against England and the Netherlands, India remains in the race for a spot in the final four.

Argentina's 3-1 victory over England provided India with another chance, but now one win will not be enough. The Indian team will require a big win against Argentina, as well as help from the Netherlands.

The Netherlands has already secured its place in the semi-finals by accumulating six points. Now the fight for the remaining spot in Group E will unfold between India, Argentina, and England. Argentina and England both have three points, with a zero goal difference. India is in last place with no points, and its goal difference is minus four.

The first condition for India is that it must defeat Argentina in the last group match. Simultaneously, it is crucial that the Netherlands beats England. If the English team wins against the Netherlands or the match ends in a draw, India's hopes of reaching the semi-finals will end.

Even if both these outcomes are favorable to India, the story will not end. The key factors will be goal difference and the total number of goals scored. Suppose India beats Argentina 3-1; then India will have only six goals scored against eight conceded. If, after this, the Netherlands beats England 2-0, England will finish its tournament having scored five goals and conceded seven. In this scenario, India may overtake its rivals in terms of goals scored.

However, if the Indian team wins 3-1, and the Netherlands also beats England 3-1, then India's and England's statistics will be equal: six scored and eight conceded. In this situation, the decision may move to the next tie-breaker, which will significantly complicate India's position.

India has scored only one field goal so far, scored by Dilpreet Singh against England. On the other hand, England has three field goals, all of which were scored against India. Therefore, it is not enough for India just to beat Argentina; it needs to aim for the largest possible margin of victory to reduce dependence on the results of other matches.

The challenge facing India is also significant considering Argentina. Both teams have met twice this year in the FIH Pro League, and Argentina won both times. In one match, India suffered a crushing 0-8 defeat, and in the second, Argentina won 4-2.

India defeated Sri Lanka in the first match of the two-match series in Galle, winning by a margin of 165 runs, thereby increasing its score to 1-0. Before this victory, the Indian team held fifth place in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 table, with 48.15% of points after 9 matches.

After the win in the Galle match, the Indian team's percentage of points rose to 53.33%, but it still holds fifth place. The second and final match of this series is scheduled for August 23 at the SSC ground in Colombo. India aims to win this series 2-0.

In the WTC standings, India is still behind Bangladesh, which is in fourth place with 66.67% of points after 5 matches, having secured 3 wins. India has 8 test matches left to play, but the probability of making a mistake is extremely low.

If the Indian team wins all remaining matches, its percentage of points will reach 74.07%, which could almost guarantee it a spot in the WTC final. However, even a single defeat could drastically change the entire situation.

With one loss, India's percentage of points will drop to 68.52%; with two losses, it will fall to 62.96%; and after three losses, it will be 57.41%. If India wins 5 out of 8 matches and draws 2, its PCT will be 61.11%.

After the visit to Sri Lanka, the Indian team will travel to New Zealand, where it is set to play two test matches. This tour does not promise to be easy, as New Zealand has previously presented serious challenges to India.

Subsequently, the Indian team will participate in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia, which will last for five matches. Australia also poses a serious threat to India, so these matches cannot be considered simple either. An Indian victory over Australia with a score of 4-1 or 3-1 would put the team in a very strong position.

Currently, Australia leads the table with 77.78% of points, while South Africa has 75%, New Zealand has 72.22%, and Bangladesh has 66.67%, ahead of India. Therefore, India needs not only to win its matches but also to monitor the results of other teams. In the WTC, 12 points are awarded for every test victory, 4 for a draw, and zero for a loss, meaning that every defeat has a significant impact on the percentage of points.