Jugraj Singh Hat-Trick Fires Bengal Tigers to Historic HIL Victory

The Hockey India League (HIL) final delivered a spectacle of skill, determination, and penalty corner brilliance as the Bengal Tigers triumphed over Hyderabad Toofans in a thrilling 4-3 victory at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela. The Saturday evening showdown saw a packed crowd witnessing a masterclass in penalty conversions, with Jugraj Singh's exceptional hat-trick propelling the Tigers to their maiden championship title.

A Championship-Worthy Performance

The Bengal Tigers went into the final game with a motive to unseat the strong Hyderabad Toofans, who had set the tempo for the tournament. Though the penalty corner conversions had been very erratic in all the earlier games, the final saw three of the best specialists in the game-Jugraj Singh, Gonzalo Peillat, and Amandeep Lakra-produce a show of unbelievable accuracy.

From the first whistle, the game promised to be an intense contest. Peillat, reputedly the best penalty corner exponent in the world, did not take long to put the Toofans ahead, scoring in the first quarter. The Tigers replied immediately, with Jugraj unleashing a missile of a shot that went past into the left side of the board, making it level. Not one to let this get past them, young sensation Amandeep Lakra restored Toofans' lead with a pulsating strike, and gave a glimpse of what is making him the next big star in Indian hockey.

Jugraj's Moment of Brilliance

As the teams headed into halftime, Hyderabad Toofans' coach Pasha Gademan urged his players to retain possession and ensure that the Tigers do not gain any space in the circle. But in the third quarter, his team found it difficult to put this plan into action.

Jugraj capitalized fully, showing his class in quickly converting back-to-back penalty corners to score his third and seal the match. His incredible performance not only swapped the advantage of momentum favourably for the Tigers but also took his tally for the tournament to 12 goals. For all attempts on both sides, neither could successfully take advantage of further variations until the final quarter.

Decisive goal and resilience on defence

At a time when the match was delicately poised, Sam Lane, who had remained relatively quiet in the tournament so far, made all the difference when it mattered the most. In the 54th minute, Lane produced the decisive goal, slotting the ball into the corner of the net to extend the lead of the Tigers to 4-2.

Hyderabad Toofans did not think so. In the 39th minute, Peillat struck again, by this time reducing the margin and setting a nail-biting finish in store. Toofans kept piling attack after attack, with Peillat at the helm of the search for an equalizer. In the dying minutes of the game, Bengal Tigers' Jamie Carr produced a miraculous save that would go on to secure a slender lead for his team till the final whistle of the game.

A Hard-Earned Victory

The Tigers, coached by Colin Batch, approached the game in a strategic manner. They demonstrated their ability to break down opponents' defenses all through the tournament, and it was this knowledge that proved very useful in the final. Resilience in dealing with the attacking threats from Toofans, coupled with precision in penalty corner conversions, made them good champions.

The final score read Bengal Tigers 4 (Jugraj 25', 32', 35', Sam Lane 54') win against Hyderabad Toofans 3 (Gonzalo Peillat 9', 39', Amandeep Lakra 26'). And with the victory, Bengal Tigers made a first in the annals of HIL and brought home its very first title.

Third Place Decider Drama

The other battle for the third place did have its fair share of a thrilling match too. Tamil Nadu Dragons were hosted by Soorma Hockey Club in a match that kept the audience on the edge of their seats. However, Blake Govers restored the lead for the Dragons early in the 15th minute. This was soon equaled by a flurry of goals for Soorma Hockey Club from Gurjant Singh (12'), Harjeet Singh (19'), and Prabhjot Singh (57'). Despite a late effort from Jip Janssen in the 59th minute, the Dragons fell short, with Soorma Hockey Club securing a 3-2 victory to claim third place.

Looking Ahead

The 2025 HIL season concluded with thrilling encounters, showcasing the immense talent and competitive spirit in Indian hockey. The Bengal Tigers have proven it is a perseverance and tactical excellence that wins over the team with this victory while Hyderabad Toofans will aim to regroup and come even stronger next time. Indian hockey fans can await more action-packing action to come as a result of upcoming young talents in Amandeep Lakra and veterans dominating the game of Peillat and Jugraj.