Rajgir Sports Complex buzzed with excitement as Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh punched their tickets to the final in the 16th Hockey India Sub-Junior Men’s National Championship 2026. Friday’s Division ‘A’ semifinals delivered edge-of-the-seat hockey, highlighting the depth of talent in India’s sub-junior ranks.
Madhya Pradesh faced Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu in a hard-fought first semi, winning 4-2. Goals came from Deepak Singh (29′), Karan Gautam (43′), Gazi Khan (47′), and Siddharth Ben (51′). The losing side responded via Dhiraj Pal (36′) and Apurva Chauhan (54′), but it wasn’t enough.
Uttar Pradesh put on a clinical performance against Punjab, racing to a 6-2 victory. Shaharukh Ali’s double (11′, 32′) and Nitish Yadav’s brace (26′, 29′) set the tone, with Ketan Kushwaha and Rahul Yadav scoring in the 42nd. Punjab’s Ali Razzaq (39′) and Rajveer Singh (43′) offered brief resistance.
All eyes now turn to the Sunday final between these powerhouses. The bronze medal match will feature Dadra & Nagar Haveli/Daman & Diu versus Punjab.
Quarterfinal highlights included Dadra & Nagar Haveli/Daman & Diu’s 2-1 win over Chandigarh, Punjab’s 5-3 triumph against Jharkhand, UP’s 6-3 rout of Odisha, and MP’s shootout win (4-3) over Haryana after a goalless draw. These results signal a bright future for hockey in India, with young stars ready to shine on bigger stages.
