Pakistan begin Under-18 Asia Hockey Cup campaign with convincing win over China

Pakistan made a strong start to their campaign in the Under-18 Asia Cup 2026 by defeating China 3-0 in their opening match at Kakamegahara, Japan.

The tournament, organised by the Asian Hockey Federation, is being held from May 29 to June 6 and features some of Asia’s top emerging hockey talent.

Pakistan dominated the match against China, with Usman opening the scoring in the sixth minute of the first half. Adeel doubled Pakistan’s advantage in the 11th minute, giving his side a comfortable lead before halftime. Yasin sealed the victory with Pakistan’s third goal in the 56th minute.

Asnan was named Man of the Match for his outstanding performance.

Following the impressive opening victory, Pakistan will face Malaysia in their second group-stage match on May 31 at 3:00 pm, before taking on Bangladesh on June 3 at 3:00 pm.

According to the tournament schedule, the group-stage matches will continue until June 1. The semi-finals and classification matches are scheduled for June 5, while the final and third-place playoff will be played on June 6.

Pakistan will now look to carry the momentum from their opening win into their upcoming fixtures as they aim for a place in the knockout stages of the competition.