India Triumphs Over Pakistan to Claim Gold at FIH Youth Hockey5s Championship

India Secures Victory in Gold Medal Match

Muscat [Oman], July 26: The Indian Sub-Junior Men's Hockey Team showcased an impressive performance, defeating their long-time rivals Pakistan with a score of 3-1 in the Gold Medal match of the FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship 2026 held in Muscat.

With goals from Romit Pal (5'), captain Ketan Kushwaha (12'), and Shahrukh Ali (13'), India emerged as the Asian Champions. This victory marked the conclusion of an unbeaten campaign for the Indian Men's team, who also topped the Elite Pool standings, as reported in a press release.

In the final match, India quickly established dominance through precise passing and a well-organized structure. Romit Pal opened the scoring in the first half at the 5-minute mark, putting India ahead 1-0 at halftime.

India continued their strong performance in the second half, with captain Ketan Kushwaha scoring at the 12-minute mark, followed closely by Shahrukh Ali's goal just a minute later, extending the lead to 3-0.

Although Pakistan managed to score through Muhammad Usman (16'), the Indian defense held firm in the final moments, securing a 3-1 victory and the championship trophy.

Both India and Pakistan qualified for the inaugural FIH Youth Hockey5s World Cup by reaching the final.

In the women's category, the Indian Sub-Junior Women's Team earned a Silver Medal after a challenging match against China, ensuring that both Indian teams returned home with medals.

In recognition of their outstanding performances, Hockey India announced cash rewards for the teams. Each player from the Gold medal-winning Indian Men's Team will receive Rs 2 Lakhs, while support staff members will be awarded Rs 1 Lakh each.

Furthermore, players from the Silver medal-winning Indian Women's Team will each receive Rs 1 Lakh, with Rs 50,000 allocated to each support staff member.