Hockey
Asian Youth Hockey 5s: Indian men win gold; women take silver
Both the Indian teams also qualified for the inaugural FIH Youth Hockey 5s World Cup.
Indian Youth women's hockey 5s team pose after winning silver and qualifying for Youth Hockey 5s World Cup (Photo credit: Hockey India)
The Indian sub-junior men’s and women's teams clinched gold and silver respectively at the 2026 FIH Youth Hockey 5s Championships.
Goals from Romit Pal (5'), captain Ketan Kushwaha (12'), and Shahrukh Ali (13') crowned the men's team as the Asian Champions.
With this victory, the they 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.