Chandigarh, Oct. 27 -- International hockey returned to Punjab after 17 years on Tuesday as a packed Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar saw India launch their Asian Champions Trophy title defence by blanking Bangladesh 13-0. Roared on by an enthusiastic home crowd and Punjabi music playing, the hosts put on a show of pace, precision and skill.

It was also an evening filled with nostalgia for several India squad members, whose hockey dreams took shape at the city's Surjit Hockey Academy. Skipper Harmanpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Dilpreet Singh and goalkeeper Krishna Bahadur Pathak are from the city. The injured Manpreet Singh, also from Jalandhar, cheered his teammates from the dugout.

The Asian Games ch...