Youth Hockey5s: Indian men beat Pakistan to become Asian champions, women bag silver
Muscat, July 26
The Indian Sub-Junior men's team produced a clinical performance to defeat arch-rivals Pakistan 3-1 in the gold medal match of the Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship.
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.
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 defense 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 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.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is fantastic news! Our sub-junior teams are showing such promise. The cash rewards from Hockey India are great motivation for these young athletes. Hope they continue this form in the Youth Hockey5s World Cup!
While the win is amazing, I wish our women's team had gone all the way. They deserved better. Still, silver is no small feat and qualifying for the World Cup is huge. Proud of all our players! 💪
Hockey5s is such a fast-paced format, and our boys adapted brilliantly. Unbeaten campaign, clean sweep against Pakistan - it doesn't get better than this. Captain Ketan Kushwaha is one to watch for the future!
Excellent news from Muscat! But 2 lakhs per player seems less compared to other sports. Hope the government also steps up support. These young champs are the future of Indian hockey!
So proud of both teams! Our girls in women's hockey have been consistently doing well internationally. Silver against China is commendable. Great day for Indian sports! 🇮🇳
Hockey is truly coming back in India! From Olympic medals to Asian titles, the pipeline is strong.
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