Indian sub-junior hockey teams eye World Cup berths at Youth Hockey Asian Championship

The Indian sub-junior men’s and women’s teams will begin their campaign in the inaugural FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship in Muscat on Monday, aiming to secure berths in the maiden FIH U-18 Youth Hockey5s World Cup.

The six-day tournament will serve as the Asian qualifier for the inaugural FIH U-18 Youth Hockey5s World Cup. The Indian sub-junior men’s team, coached by Sardar Singh, heads into the tournament with confidence after clinching the U18 Asia Cup title, defeating hosts Japan 4-1 in the final.

The squad comprises players from the gold medal-winning campaign and has been placed alongside hosts Oman, Pakistan and Bangladesh in the Elite Pool.

“The players have earned this opportunity with their outstanding performance at the U18 Asia Cup, and the confidence from winning the title will certainly help us. However, Hockey5s is a unique format that demands quick decision-making, high intensity and adaptability,” Singh said in a release.

“The boys have prepared well for these challenges, and our focus will be on executing our plans, maintaining consistency and securing qualification for the inaugural FIH U18 Youth Hockey5s World Cup. We are excited to compete against some of Asia’s best young teams and represent India with pride.”

The Indian sub-junior women’s team, coached by Rani Rampal, features players who secured the bronze medal at the U18 Asia Cup. The team has been drawn in the Elite Pool with China, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

The Elite Pool follows a double round-robin format, with each team playing against the other twice. The top two teams at the end of the league stage will advance directly to the gold medal match, while the third-placed team will qualify directly for the bronze medal match.  The fourth-placed team will face the top-ranked Challenger Pool team in a qualification match, with the winner progressing to the bronze medal match.

India’s campaign begins on Monday, with the women’s team taking on Kazakhstan before the men’s team faces Bangladesh later in the evening.

The men’s side will then play Oman and Pakistan on Tuesday before meeting the same opponents in the return fixtures on July 23 and 24 July as part of the double round-robin Elite Pool format.  The women’s team, meanwhile, will face China and Uzbekistan on Tuesday before taking on Kazakhstan again on July 23, followed by return fixtures against China and Uzbekistan on July 24. The classification matches are scheduled for July 25.

“This tournament presents a wonderful opportunity for our young players to showcase their talent on the continental stage. The team gained valuable experience at the U18 Asia Cup, and we have worked hard to adapt to the fast-paced Hockey5s format,” Rani said.

“The players are motivated, eager to learn and determined to give their best in every match. Our objective is to play fearless hockey, continue our development and qualify for the inaugural FIH U18 Youth Hockey5s World Cup while making the country proud,” she added.