With four goals, star player Araijeet Singh Hundal led the Indian junior men’s hockey team to a 5-3 victory over arch rivals Pakistan in Wednesday’s Men’s Junior Asia Cup final. The Indian team successfully defended its title and won a record fifth title in the competition’s history in Muscat.
Dilraj Singh added a goal to join Araijeet Singh Hundal, who was in excellent form and scored for India in the fourth, eighteenth, forty-seventh, and fifty-fourth minutes. Sufyan Khan and captain Shahid Hannan tried their hardest to keep Pakistan in the match for most of the game, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
India has won this competition five times, with victories in 2023, 2015, 2008, and 2004. In recognition of their flawless championship defence and outstanding performances at the Men’s Junior Asia Cup, Hockey India offered a financial prize of 2 lakh for each player and 1 lakh for each support staff member.
As India began to settle into the match, Shahid Hannan, the captain of Pakistan, jumped on a wayward ball in the shooting circle and defeated Bikramjeet Singh one-on-one to give Pakistan the lead.
Araijeet Singh Hundal restored parity with an intense drag flick to the right top corner, and India instantly replied by collecting a penalty corner. Despite exchanging circle entries until the first quarter’s completion, neither team could score.
Araijeet retook the pitch as India was given another penalty corner within three minutes of the second quarter. With a thundering drag flick, he found the space between Pakistan’s goalkeeper, Muhammad Janjua and the postman to give India the lead. The Indian forwards then applied constant pressure on Pakistan’s defenders.
Dilraj quickly extended India’s lead to 3-1 by swerving past two left-wing defenders and scoring. Even though Pakistan attacked the Indian goal a few times and was awarded a penalty corner at the end of the first half, Sufyan Khan’s drag-flicking ability allowed him to beat Bikramjit Singh in goal to make it 3-2.
As the third quarter got underway, Araijeet quickly created two chances, but Muhammad Janjua, Pakistan’s custodian, made incredible saves on both occasions to keep Pakistan in the game. After a back-and-forth between the two teams, Sufyan Khan ensured Pakistan went into the final quarter and tied the score by flicking the ball into the Indian goal from a penalty corner with six minutes remaining in the quarter.
India took the lead as soon as the last quarter started. India’s lead was restored and his hat-trick was completed when Manmeet Singh deftly ducked past his marker and found an open Araijeet in front of the goal, who deflected the ball into the net.
Zikriya Hayat launched a counterattack with 10 minutes remaining, but Indian goaltender Prince Deep Singh hurried out to stop the attempt. India was up 5-3 when they got a penalty corner with six minutes remaining in the match and used a variation to free up Araijeet, who hammered the ball into the top right corner with his flick.
Prince Deep remained steadfast in goal, swatting away Hannan Shahid’s huge goal-scoring opportunity as the game ended, ensuring India’s triumph.
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