Women face China, men clash with Pakistan in U-18 hockey

India's U-18 men's and women's hockey teams have qualified for the U-18 Asia Cup semifinals in Kakamigahara. The dominant women’s team will face China, while the resilient men's squad is set for a high-voltage clash against rivals Pakistan

Kakamigahara: The Indian U-18 men’s and women’s hockey teams are set to compete in the semifinals of the U-18 Asia Cup 2026 after impressive performances in their respective pool stages.

The women’s team finished at the top of Pool A after winning all three of their matches in dominant fashion. The team scored an incredible 30 goals while conceding only two throughout the pool stage.

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India began their campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Malaysia before registering a convincing 3-1 win against Korea. They then produced a fantastic performance in their final pool match, defeating Singapore 25-0 to seal the top spot in the standings.

Nousheen Naz has been India’s leading scorer with 10 goals so far in the tournament, while Geethasri Nammi has netted five. Captain Sweety Kujur has scored four goals, while Priyanka Minz has added three to India’s tally.

India will now face China, who finished second in Pool B with two wins and a draw, in the semifinal on June 5.

Speaking ahead of the crucial encounter, Indian U-18 women’s team coach Rani said, “The journey so far has been fantastic. This is the first time these girls are playing in an international tournament and they have stepped up to the occasion and performed brilliantly. We have approached this tournament one match at a time, and now our complete focus is on the semifinal against China. It does not matter what the opposition does; our priority is to play to our standards, play attacking hockey, and convert our chances.”

“The girls are very fit and coordinate well among themselves. They will fight hard for every ball, play to our strengths, capitalize on counterattacks, and give their best to secure a place in the final,” she added.

Meanwhile, the men’s team finished second in Pool A with three wins and one defeat. India scored 32 goals and conceded only six during their campaign so far.

The men’s team opened their tournament with a commanding 13-0 victory against Kazakhstan before suffering a 4-2 defeat against hosts Japan. They responded strongly with a 4-1 win over Korea, followed by a comprehensive 13-1 victory against Chinese Taipei to book their place in the semifinals.

Captain Ketan Kushwaha leads the scoring charts for India with seven goals, while Ashish Tani Purti has scored six. Gazee Khan and Shahrukh Ali have contributed three goals each.

India will take on Pakistan in the second semifinal on June 5. Pakistan topped Pool B with two wins and one defeat from their three matches.

Ahead of the semifinal, Indian U-18 men’s team coach Sardar Singh said, “After playing four matches, we have identified the areas where we need to improve, especially penalty corner attack and defense. We have been working on these areas in separate groups with the defenders, midfielders, and forwards to ensure we are fully prepared.”

“The players now understand the demands of modern hockey and what it takes to win a tournament at this level. We want to start with the right energy and maintain that throughout the match. One of our biggest strengths is the unity within the team and the structure of our play. We want to continue playing disciplined hockey, trust our passing game, and allow our skillful players the freedom to express themselves in key situations,” he concluded.