Rajgir, April 11 – The 16th Hockey India Sub Junior National Championship 2026 in Rajgir, Bihar, has reached its climax, setting the stage for an exciting day of finals in Division A.
Hockey Madhya Pradesh will face Hockey Jharkhand in the Women's Final, while Hockey Madhya Pradesh will also compete against Uttar Pradesh Hockey in the Men's Final.
The battle for third place in the Women's category will see Hockey Odisha take on Uttar Pradesh Hockey. In the Men's third-place clash, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey will compete against Hockey Punjab. The final day of matches will take place on April 12 at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium.
In the men's final, both teams enter the contest undefeated, following impressive victories in the semi-finals. Hockey Madhya Pradesh defeated Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey 4-2, while Uttar Pradesh Hockey overcame last year's champions Hockey Punjab 6-2. This year's Men's Final also marks a rematch of last year's third-place encounter, where Uttar Pradesh Hockey secured the win.
Notably, the division's top two scorers represent Uttar Pradesh Hockey. Shahrukh Ali leads the charts with 14 goals, while Nitish Yadav has registered seven goals, all from penalty corners.
Dhiraj Pal of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey is also among the leading scorers who will be in action, with five goals to his name.
The women's final promises to be an exciting contest, with defending champions Hockey Jharkhand and Hockey Madhya Pradesh emerging as the top-scoring teams in the division, with 19 and 18 goals respectively. Hockey Jharkhand defeated Uttar Pradesh Hockey 2-0 in their semi-final, while Hockey Madhya Pradesh edged past Hockey Odisha 2-1.
Hockey Madhya Pradesh boasts the division's leading scorer in Nousheen Naz, who has netted nine goals so far. Sandeepa Kumari of Hockey Jharkhand follows with five goals.