PATNA, Aug. 29 -- The 12th edition of the 10-day Men's Asia Cup Hockey 2025 is set to kick off on Friday in Rajgir, Bihar, coinciding with National Sports Day - the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. The tournament will feature eight top Asian nations -- India, Japan, China, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Korea, Bangladesh, and Chinese Taipei. All the teams have reached Rajgir where they will vie for the Asia Cup 2025. Adequate facilities and security arrangements have been made for the players' stay at different hotels at Rajgir whereas members of Indian Hockey team will stay at the sports complex. All the matches will be played at International Sports Complex at Rajgir and the 10-day event will conclude on September 7. The event assumes significance as it serves as a qualifier for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup that has added up extra intensity and significance to every game. "It is for the first time that Men's Asia Hockey Cup is being held in Bihar's Rajgir. This is the 12th edition of Asia Cup in which eight teams are participating," Bihar State Sports Authority Director General-cum-CEO Raveendran Sankaran said. Out of 11 editions held so far, defending champion South Korea is the most successful team participating in the Men's Asia Cup as it has won the title five times in 1994, 1999, 2009, 2013 and 2022, while the host India has won the Cup in the year 2003, 2007 and 2017 and Pakistan has also won it thrice in 1982, 1985 and 1989, he added. In order to attract hockey fans to see the matches at the stadium, Hockey India has already announced that entry for all matches of the Asia Cup at Rajgir will be free. Host India have been placed in Pool A alongside Japan, China, and Kazakhstan. They will kick off their campaign against China on opening day followed by a clash with Japan on August 31, and their final pool match against Kazakhstan on September 1. In Pool A, apart from India-China match, Japan and Kazakhstan will also clash on the inaugural day. Pool B comprised of Malaysia, Korea, Bangladesh and Chinese Taipei. The inaugural match will be played between Malaysia and Bangladesh while the second match of the first day will be played between Korea and Chinese Taipei....