Sunday 16 / August / 2026
Muscat : 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.
Indian Women's Hockey team conclude FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship with silver medal
The Indian Women's Hockey Team finished as runners-up at the FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship in Muscat, Oman, after going down 2-4 to China in the Final on Saturday.
India booked their place in the summit clash with a commanding 8-1 victory over Kazakhstan in the Semi-Final, according to a press release.
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.
Earlier in the Semi-Final, India produced a dominant display against Kazakhstan. Sandeepa Kumari opened the scoring in the 5th minute before Pushpa Manjhi struck in the 6th minute and added two more goals in the 8th minute to put India firmly in control.
Kazakhstan's Ayanat Mazhim scored in the 10th minute, but India continued to dictate the game. Captain Diya scored twice in the 13th and 16th minutes, while Shruti Kumari also found the net in the 16th minute. Nousheen Naz completed the scoring in the 20th minute as India sealed an emphatic 8-1 victory to book their place in the Final.
Recognising the team's outstanding performance, Hockey India announced a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh for each player of the Indian Women's Hockey Team and Rs 50,000 for each member of the support staff in recognition of their achievement at the championship.
With their impressive run in Muscat, India have also secured qualification for the FIH Youth Hockey5s World Cup, marking another important milestone for the young team on the global stage.
