Indian Sub-Junior Men's team defeat Pakistan 3-1 to win Gold at FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship
Muscat, July 26
The Indian Sub-Junior Men's Hockey Team produced a clinical performance to defeat arch-rivals Pakistan 3-1 in the Gold Medal match of the FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship 2026 in Muscat.
Goals from Romit Pal (5'), captain Ketan Kushwaha (12'), and Shahrukh Ali (13') crowned India as the Asian Champions. With this victory, the Indian Men's team completed a dominant, unbeaten campaign, having also finished at the top of the Elite Pool table, according to a press release.
The summit clash saw India take early control with sharp passing and disciplined structure. Romit Pal (5') broke the deadlock in the first half, striking past the Pakistani goalkeeper to give India a 1-0 lead at half-time.
India extended their dominance early in the second half as captain Ketan Kushwaha (12') found the back of the net, followed immediately by a strike from Shahrukh Ali (13') to make it 3-0.
Pakistan pulled one goal back through Muhammad Usman (16'), but the Indian defence stood firm in the closing minutes to secure a 3-1 win and lift the trophy.
By virtue of reaching the final, both India and Pakistan have qualified for the inaugural FIH Youth Hockey5s World Cup.
In the women's competition, the Indian Sub-Junior Women's Team bagged the Silver Medal after a hard-fought contest in their final against China, ensuring both Indian contingents return home with medals.
Celebrating the stellar performances of both squads, Hockey India announced cash rewards for the teams. Each player of the Gold medal-winning Indian Men's Team will be rewarded with Rs 2 Lakhs, while each member of the support staff will receive Rs 1 Lakh.
Additionally, each player of the Silver medal-winning Indian Women's Team will receive Rs 1 Lakh, with Rs 50,000 awarded to each member of their support staff.
— ANI
Reader Comments
So proud of both the men's and women's teams! The women winning silver is no small feat either against China. Hockey India's cash rewards are a great motivation for these young athletes. 👏🏑
Great to see India dominating in youth hockey. This bodes well for the senior team in future Olympics. The Pakistan match was tight but our boys held their nerve well.
Clinical performance indeed! The 3-0 lead in the second half showed our attacking prowess. Only concern is we conceded a goal later - need to maintain concentration till the final whistle. But overall, brilliant achievement! 🏑✨
India vs Pakistan in a final is always a classic. Well done to the sub-junior team for handling the pressure. Both teams qualifying for the Youth World Cup is good for Asian hockey.
So happy to see our young girls also bringing home silver! The future of Indian hockey is definitely female. Hope this inspires more girls to take up the sport. Also great gesture by Hockey India to reward both teams equally with cash prizes. 🌟🏑
Unbeaten campaign - that's the stuff champions are made of! Ketan Kushwaha led from the front as
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