KAWASAKI — India secured a spot in the final of the U18 Men’s Hockey Asia Cup after clinching a high-octane 5-3 victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in the second semi-final at the Kawasaki Heavy Industries Hockey Stadium on Friday. The intense, see-saw encounter kept fans on the edge of their seats until India pulled away decisively in the final quarter.
The match ignited early when India was awarded a penalty stroke in the opening quarter. Pakistan challenged the on-field ruling, but their video review was unsuccessful. Capitalizing on the opportunity, India’s Purti Ashish Tani stepped up to the spot and cleanly pierced the net in the 11th minute to hand the Blue Shirts an early 1-0 advantage.
Pakistan fought back valiantly, creating a string of goal-scoring opportunities through disciplined play and multiple penalty corners. Their persistence paid off in the 26th minute when Adeel leveled the scoreline with a spectacular, left-handed reverse flick.
The battle intensified in the third quarter. Despite a structured defensive display from Pakistan, India reclaimed the lead when Ali Shahrukh deftly sneaked the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs to make it 2-1. Refusing to back down, Pakistan delivered a swift counterpunch just minutes later. In the 36th minute, Muhammad Farhan Aslam converted a penalty corner to equalize, and the Green Shirts capitalised on that momentum when Uzair Ahmed executed a brilliant drag flick to put Pakistan ahead 3-2 by the end of the third period.
The final quarter was defined by relentless attacking hockey from both sides, but it was Ashish Tani who ultimately stole the show and turned the game on its head. Showing immense composure under pressure, Tani leveled the game at 3-3 in the 47th minute. He then completed a sensational second-half hat-trick, finding the back of the net in the 52nd and 55th minutes to shatter Pakistan’s defense and secure a 5-3 victory. With this semi-final triumph, India advances to face hosts Japan in the tournament’s gold-medal summit clash on Saturday.
