Pakistan men's and women's teams to partake in Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship

KARACHI: The Pakistan Under-18 men's and women's hockey teams will participate in the inaugural Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship, scheduled to be held in Muscat, Oman, later this month.

The continental tournament, featuring seven teams each in both men's and women's competitions, will serve as the official Asian qualifier for the inaugural FIH U18 Youth Hockey5s World Cup and will run from July 20 to 25.

The men's tournament will feature Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and hosts Oman. The women's competition will instead feature teams from Pakistan, India, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Oman.

As per the tournament's schedule, announced by the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) earlier today, Pakistan U18 men's team will kick off their campaign on July 20 by locking horns with hosts Oman, while their next match is scheduled the same day against Bangladesh.

The Green Shirts will then take on traditional rivals India on July 22, and will next face Oman and Bangladesh again on July 23.

Pakistan will play their last league-stage match against arch-rivals India on July 24.

Meanwhile, Pakistan U18 women's hockey team will formally kick start their campaign on July 20 against hosts Oman, while their next match is scheduled against fierce rivals India later the same day.

Pakistan U18 women's team will play their next two matches on July 23 against Uzbekistan and China, respectively, while their remaining as many fixtures are scheduled on July 24 against Iran and Kazakhstan, respectively.

Following the conclusion of the league stage, the gold and bronze medal matches of both men's and women's competitions, as well as the sixth-place playoffs, will be held on July 25.