India wins record-extending fifth Junior Asia Cup title after defeating Pakistan 5-3

India’s hockey team defeated Pakistan 5-3 in the final of Junior Asia Cup 2024 in Muscat, Oman, on Wednesday. It was a thrilling match with both sides giving their all on the field in order to win the trophy.

Pakistan took the lead in the third minute of the match courtesy their captain Abdul Hannan Shahid. However, India hit back soon after with a goal from Araijeet Singh Hundal in the fourth minute.

The second quarter of the match produced three goals with India scoring two of those through Hundal and Dilraj Singh. However, Pakistan reduced the deficit at the stroke of half-time after Sufyan Khan successfully converted a penalty corner.

In the third quarter, both teams came close to scoring on many occasions but it was Pakistan who came up with the goods as Sufyan netted another penalty corner to level proceedings.

There were chances at both ends in the fourth quarter as well but India were the more clinical of the two sides as they notched up two goals to take the match away from Pakistan.

Hundal was the star of the show for the winning side as he scored a total of four goals in the match.

India, who claimed their record-extending fifth Junior Asia Cup title, had also defeated Pakistan in the last year’s final. The Men in Blue also won the event in 2004, 2008 and 2015.

Sufyan Khan bagged the award for the highest goal-scorer in the tournament after netting 12.

Earlier today, Japan defeated Malaysia 2-1 to secure third place in the tournament.

The tournament also confirmed Asia’s participation in the Junior World next year with India (hosts), Pakistan, Japan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, China and Thailand making the cut.