The Indian sub-junior men's and women's teams are all set to depart for the inaugural FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship in Muscat, aiming to secure a spot in the FIH Under-18 Youth Hockey5s World Cup. The six-day tournament, scheduled to take place from July 18th to 23rd, will serve as the Asian qualifier for the prestigious global event.
The Indian sub-junior men's team, coached by former Indian captain Sardar Singh, is looking to carry the momentum from their recent success in the Under-18 Asia Cup. The team had a stellar run in the tournament, defeating hosts Japan 4-1 in the final to clinch the title. This win has boosted the team's confidence, and they will be eager to replicate their performance in the Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship.
The Indian sub-junior women's team, coached by Rani Rampal, features players who secured a bronze medal at the Under-18 Asia Cup. This experience will be invaluable for the team as they take on the best teams in Asia in the Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship.
India's campaign in the Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship will begin tomorrow, with the women's team taking on Kazakhstan in the first match. The men's team will face Bangladesh later in the evening. The teams will then play a series of matches in the double round-robin Elite Pool format, with the men's team facing Oman and Pakistan on 21st July, and the women's team taking on China and Uzbekistan on the same day.
The classification matches are scheduled to take place on 25th July, and the teams will be vying for a spot in the FIH Under-18 Youth Hockey5s World Cup. The Indian teams will need to perform well in these matches to secure their spot in the global event.
