Bangladesh Women's Hockey team clinched a bronze medal in their maiden appearance at the Women’s U-18 Asia Cup Hockey 2025, thanks to a stunning hat-trick by Airin Akhter Riya that led them to a 6-2 victory over Kazakhstan in their final Super Four match at China’s Dazhou National Hockey Training Centre on Sunday morning.
In the day's match, Airin Akhter Riya made a hattrick scoring three goals in a row in the 12th, 18th and 20th minutes--first two from penalty stroke and last from a field goal.
Later, she was adjudged the player of the match.
Besides, captain Rimon Sharika , Kona Akhter and Riyasha Rishi scored one goal each for Bangladesh in the 35th, 50th and 53rd minutes respectively.
Kazakhstan scored the match first goal in the 9th minute and the match last goal in the 59th minute.
Bangladesh Women’s team, which reached the super four stage of the Women’s U-18 Asia Cup Hockey as the Pool A runners up beating Uzbekistan and Hong Kong by 3-0 goal each after suffering a huge 0-11 goal defeat against mighty Japan in the opener.
Japan will play hosts China in the Way omen’s U-18 Asia Cup final Sunday (July 13) afternoon at 3 pm at the same venue.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Men's team was placed 4th in the eleven-team U-18 Men's Asia Cup losing to stronger Malaysia by 2-5 goal in the 3rd place deciding match at the same venue Sunday morning.
Mohammad Mehedi and Jony Islam scored one each for Bangladesh in the 10th and 41st minutes respectively --first from a penalty corner and the remaining was a field goal
Earlier, Bangladesh Men’s Hockey team finished Pool A runners up to qualify for the semi-finals securing nine points from four matches with three wins and one defeat after beating hosts China by 5-2 goals, Hong Kong, China by 3-0 goals, crushing Sri Lanka by 13-0 goals and conceded 3-6 goals defeat against favorite Pakistan.
However, Bangladesh Men's Hockey team were eliminated from the Men's U-18 Asia Cup Hockey after conceding 4-6 goals defeat against stronger Japan in the first semi-final last Friday,
Pakistan, which qualified for the Men's final eliminating Malaysia by 4-3 goals in penalty shootout as the 2nd semifinal match between two teams was locked in 3-3 goals in the schedule time last Friday, will now play Japan in the final Sunday (July 11) afternoon.