The Indian sub-junior men’s hockey team produced a clinical performance to defeat arch-rival 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 Champion. 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 its 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.
Indian women’s team finished runner-up in the Asian final but qualified for the Youth Hockey5s World Cup. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
In the women’s competition, the Indian team finished as runner-up after going down 2-4 to China in the final.
China made a strong start to the final, taking the lead through Tongtong Lu in the opening minute. Kexin Tang doubled China’s advantage in the 5th minute before Jiaxin Guo made it 3-0 a minute later. India responded after the break as Nousheen Naz found the back of the net in the 13th minute to reduce the deficit.
However, Chen Ge restored China’s three-goal lead in the 19th minute. Pushpa Manjhi scored in the 20th minute to give India hope, but China held on to register a 4-2 victory and lift the title.
With their impressive run in Muscat, India has also secured qualification for the FIH Youth Hockey5s World Cup.
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 Lakh, 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.
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Published on Jul 26, 2026