India, Oct. 5 -- India's men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh says his players had the confidence to shrug off the World Cup disappointment and win the Asian Games title and qualify for the 2028 Olympics as they "always dominate in Asia".

Harmanpreet struck a brace as India thrashed Malaysia 5-1 in the final on Saturday to clinch the men's hockey gold for the second time in a row.

"The final match was a big opportunity for everybody. There are some players who are representing (India) for the first time in Asian Games, and some guys representing four times, three times, two times. "We knew we are here for the gold and to qualify for the Olympics. The target was clear," Harmanpreet said.

The build-up to the Asian Games was not the bes...