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MP Battles UP for Men's Hockey Crown; Women's Final vs Jharkhand Set

The finals are set for the 16th Hockey India Sub Junior National Championship in Rajgir. The men's final will feature undefeated Madhya Pradesh against Uttar Pradesh, a rematch of last year's third-place playoff. The women's final pits defending champions Jharkhand against Madhya Pradesh. The summit clashes promise high-scoring affairs with top attackers like Shahrukh Ali and Nousheen Naz leading their teams.

Key Points: Sub-Junior Hockey Nationals 2026 Finals: MP vs UP, MP vs Jharkhand

  • MP in both finals
  • UP men undefeated
  • Jharkhand women are defending champs
  • Top scorers to watch
2 min read

Sub-Jr Hockey Nationals: MP to face UP in Men's final; take on Jharkhand in women's summit clash

Madhya Pradesh faces Uttar Pradesh in the men's final and Jharkhand in the women's final at the Hockey India Sub Junior Nationals in Rajgir.

"This year's men's final also marks a rematch of last year's third-place encounter - Hockey India"

Rajgir, April 11

Madhya Pradesh will face Uttar Pradesh in the men's final, while the girls from the state will meet Jharkhand in the women's final in the 16th Hockey India Sub Junior National Championship 2026 in Rajgir, Bihar, which has reached its climax, setting the stage for an exciting day of finals in Division A.

The battle for third place in the women's category will see Hockey Odisha face Uttar Pradesh Hockey. In the men's third-place clash, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey will play Hockey Punjab. The final day of fixtures will take place on April 12 at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium in Rajgir.

In the men's final, both teams enter the contest undefeated, following impressive victories in the semifinals. Hockey Madhya Pradesh defeated Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu 4-2, while Uttar Pradesh overcame last year's champions Punjab by a 6-2 margin. This year's men's final also marks a rematch of last year's third-place encounter, where Uttar Pradesh Hockey secured the win.

Notably, the division's top two scorers represent Uttar Pradesh Hockey. Shahrukh Ali leads the charts with 14 goals, while Nitish Yadav has registered seven goals, all coming from penalty corners.

Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey's Dhiraj Pal is also among the leading scorers who will be in action, with five goals to his name.

The women's final promises to be an exciting contest, with defending champions Hockey Jharkhand and Hockey Madhya Pradesh emerging as the top-scoring teams in the division, with 19 and 18 goals respectively. Hockey Jharkhand defeated Uttar Pradesh Hockey 2-0 in their semi-final, while Hockey Madhya Pradesh edged past Hockey Odisha 2-1.

Hockey Madhya Pradesh boasts the division's leading scorer in Nousheen Naz, who has netted nine goals so far. Hockey Jharkhand's Sandeepa Kumari follows with five goals.

The preliminary round matches in the Men's competition till the semifinal stage were held in Rajgir, while the preliminary round matches in the Women's sections were played in Ranchi.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Shreya B
Shahrukh Ali with 14 goals! What a phenomenal performance for UP. It's heartening to see such talent emerging from the sub-junior level. The future of Indian hockey looks bright with these youngsters. The men's final is going to be a cracker!
D
David E
Interesting to see the tournament being held in Rajgir, Bihar. Not a traditional hockey hub, but great for spreading the sport. A respectful suggestion though: the article could have provided more context on the "Sub-Junior" age category for international readers.
P
Priyanka N
Jharkhand's women's team is always so strong! They have a great system for nurturing talent. Sandeepa Kumari is one to watch. But Nousheen Naz from MP with 9 goals is on fire! Can't wait for the final. May the best team win.
A
Aman W
UP beating the champions Punjab 6-2 is a huge statement. And it's a rematch of last year's 3rd place play-off! Some serious rivalry building here. Hope the finals get good coverage on DD Sports or streaming. Our young athletes deserve the spotlight.
K
Kriti O
So proud of all the young players! Competing at the national level at this age is a big achievement. Win or lose, they are all champions. Wishing safe and fair play to everyone on the final day. 🏑

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