Unbeaten Pakistan storm into U18 Asia Hockey Cup final

DAZHOU: Pakistan have advanced to the final of the U18 Asia Hockey Cup after edging out Malaysia in a dramatic penalty shootout during the semi-final clash on Friday.

The tightly contested match ended 3-3 in regulation time before Pakistan emerged victorious in the shootout, continuing their unbeaten run in the tournament.

What a thrilling performance by our Pakistan U18 hockey team! 🇵🇰
Beating Malaysia in a nail-biting penalty shootout to secure a spot in the Men’s Asia Cup U18 Final—you’ve made the nation proud! 💪🏑
Wishing you all the best for the final!#PakistanHockey #AsiaCupU18 #FutureStars pic.twitter.com/mI5paPUW7G

— Syed Noman Nazir (@nomanalam) July 11, 2025

The national under-18 side has been in dominant form throughout the competition.

They began their campaign with a thumping 8-0 win over Hong Kong, followed by a 9-0 rout of Sri Lanka.

Against Bangladesh, Pakistan secured a 6-3 victory, while a hard-fought 2-1 win over hosts China cemented their place at the top of the group.

During their unbeaten U18 Asia Hockey Cup campaign, Pakistan’s toughest clash was against Bangladesh, as the two teams were tied 3-3 by halftime. However, Pakistan took charge in the second half, scoring three more goals before the final whistle. 

Congrats to Ghulam Mustafa! 👏💪 The U18 goalkeeper's incredible saves helped Pakistan reach the finals! 🎉👍 Big props to @kjhockeyacademy for nurturing his talent! 🏆 #HockeyHero #U18AsiaCup #pakistanhockey @GovtofPakistan @PakPMO @NOCPakistan @FIH_Hockey @OfficialDPRPP pic.twitter.com/eqDQ92xYI6

— Muhammad Yousaf (ANJUM) (@imyousafanjum) July 11, 2025

The final will be played on July 13 at the Dazhou National Hockey Training Centre, where Pakistan will look to maintain their winning streak and lift the championship title.

The U18 Hockey Squad

Muhammad Adeel (captain), Ali Atif, Awan Abdullah, Farooq Muhammad, Haider Asam, Hamza Ali, Hanzala Ali, Hassan Muhammad, Jamshed Yaseen, Latif Zubair, Mustafa Ghulam (goalkeeper), Noor Ahmad, Shahbaz Hassan, Shaheer Muhammad, Sohail Amir, Taj Muhammad, Usman Muhammad, Yaseen Muhammad, Zaman Muhammad, Zeeshan Muhammad.