Daijiworld Media Network - Jalandhar

Jalandhar, Nov 1: India and Malaysia have secured their places in the semi-finals of the ongoing 9th Hero Asian Hockey Championship after winning their first three league matches, as the tournament enters its decisive phase at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar, Punjab.

India currently leads the points table with 22 goals, compared to Malaysia's 14, placing the latter in second position. Japan occupies third place with two victories, while South Korea is fourth with one win. China and Bangladesh are yet to register a victory.

Each of the six participating teams has played three league matches, with the remaining two fixtures scheduled for Sunday and Monday in Jalandhar. Following the league stage, the top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals, while the teams finishing fifth and sixth will compete for the fifth-place position.

The knockout matches, including the semi-finals and final, will be held at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior Stadium in Mohali on November 4 and 5.

After Saturday's rest day, India will face Malaysia on Sunday. South Korea will take on Bangladesh, while China will meet Japan in the other league encounter.