India thrash Chinese Taipei 13-1, enter U-18 Asia Cup hockey semis
Synopsis
India's U-18 boys didn't just beat Chinese Taipei — they buried them 13-1 in Kakamigahara, with Ashish Tani Purti's penalty-corner hat-trick the centrepiece. Nine points, three wins, one loss to hosts Japan, and a semifinal ticket booked for Friday. The junior pipeline is firing again.
Key Takeaways
India beat Chinese Taipei 13-1 in their final Pool A match at the U-18 Asia Cup 2026 on 3 June .
Ashish Tani Purti scored a hat-trick (27', 35', 42'), all from penalty corners.
Gazee Khan , Siddharth Ben and Rahul Yadav each scored twice.
India finished the pool stage with 9 points from four matches, losing only to hosts Japan .
The semifinals will be played on Friday ; India's opponent depends on the Japan-Kazakhstan result.
India stormed into the semifinals of the Men's U-18 Asia Cup 2026 with a clinical 13-1 demolition of Chinese Taipei in their final Pool A fixture at Kakamigahara, Japan on Wednesday, 3 June. Forward Ashish Tani Purti led the rout with a hat-trick, as the young Indian side ended the pool stage with nine points from four matches.
Purti's hat-trick anchors the rout
Purti struck in the 27th, 35th and 42nd minutes, all from penalty corners, to headline the scoresheet. Gazee Khan (40', 44'), Siddharth Ben (30', 52') and Rahul Yadav (20', 54') each notched braces, while Karan Gautam (7'), Premchand Soy (11'), captain Ketan Kushwaha (13') and Varinder Singh (50') rounded off the tally.
How the match unfolded
India set the tone early, opening through Gautam's penalty corner conversion in the seventh minute. Premchand doubled the lead with a field goal, and Kushwaha made it three by the close of the opening quarter. Yadav, Purti and Siddharth piled on in the second quarter, with Yong-Jyun Jhang pulling one back for Chinese Taipei from a penalty corner just before half-time to make it 6-1.
The third quarter saw India turn ruthless. Purti, Khan and Purti again — all from set-pieces — pushed the margin to 10-1 by the end of the quarter. Varinder, Siddharth and Yadav added the finishing touches in the fourth to complete the 13-1 scoreline.
Pool stage recap
India finished the group phase with wins over Kazakhstan, Korea and Chinese Taipei, with their only setback coming against hosts Japan. The nine-point haul was enough to confirm a last-four berth ahead of the final round of pool fixtures.
What's next
India's semifinal opponents will be confirmed after the concluding Pool A clash between Japan and Kazakhstan later on Wednesday. The semifinals are scheduled for Friday, with the junior side eyeing a continental title that has long served as a launchpad for India's senior hockey pipeline.
Point of View
Not the rout that followed. That said, the team's set-piece efficiency is genuinely encouraging: penalty corners produced the bulk of the goals, and that translates well to senior-level hockey where field-goal margins shrink. The depth in scorers — eight different names on the sheet — also speaks to a squad that isn't reliant on one star. Friday's semifinal, likely against Japan or Kazakhstan, will tell us whether this generation can convert pool-stage dominance into a continental title.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of the India vs Chinese Taipei U-18 Asia Cup match?
India defeated Chinese Taipei 13-1 in their final Pool A fixture of the Men's U-18 Asia Cup 2026 at Kakamigahara, Japan on 3 June. The win sealed India's place in the semifinals.
Who scored the hat-trick for India against Chinese Taipei?
Ashish Tani Purti scored a hat-trick in the 27th, 35th and 42nd minutes, all from penalty corners. He was the standout performer in India's 13-1 win.
How did India perform in the U-18 Asia Cup 2026 pool stage?
India finished with nine points from four matches, recording wins over Kazakhstan, Korea and Chinese Taipei. Their only loss came against hosts Japan.
When is India's U-18 Asia Cup semifinal and who will they play?
India's semifinal is scheduled for Friday. Their opponent will be confirmed after the concluding Pool A match between Japan and Kazakhstan.
