Indian Ice Hockey Teens Set for Face-off in U18 Asia Cup

The Indian U18 ice hockey team, captained by Gurtej Singh Bhatti, is gearing up to compete in the Asia Cup held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, as announced by the national federation. The competition, running from April 27 to May 3, features teams from several countries, including the hosts Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, and Macau, China.

Joining Bhatti are India's alternate captains Devansh Sharma and Iftiqar Hussain. The Indian women's team previously made headlines by clinching a bronze medal at the IIHF Women's Asia Cup in 2025, held in Al Ain, UAE, marking a significant achievement in the sport's history for India.

Harjinder Singh, General Secretary of the Ice Hockey Association of India, commented on the growing interest in ice hockey, fueled by past successes like the men's silver medal win at the 2017 IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia Division I. He highlighted the importance of the U18 team's participation in the Asia Cup as a crucial step for the sport's development in the country.