Johor Bahru, Malaysia – The Indian junior men's hockey team continued their impressive run at the Sultan of Johor Cup 2025, securing a 4-2 victory over New Zealand in their second match of the tournament. Following their 3-2 win against defending champions Great Britain in the opening match, the team displayed another dominant performance at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium.

India's Arshdeep Singh set the tone early, scoring in the 2nd minute of the first quarter. Capitalizing on a loose ball after a defensive lapse from New Zealand, Arshdeep swiftly maneuvered into the circle from the right flank. Although his initial shot was saved, he successfully converted the rebound, giving India an early lead. In the final minute of the first quarter, P.B. Sunil further solidified India's position, scoring from a penalty corner variation. After three unsuccessful attempts, India's captain Rohit passed the ball to Sunil, who found the back of the net with a low snapshot, doubling India's advantage.

Maintaining their momentum, India continued to create attacking opportunities in the second quarter. Araijeet Singh Hundal, unmarked in the circle, capitalized on a quick turnaround and scored in the 26th minute, further extending India's lead to 3-0. New Zealand managed to break through India's defense in the third quarter, with Gus Nelson scoring in the 41st minute, reducing the deficit to 3-1. However, India responded swiftly in the 47th minute when Roman Kumur converted a penalty corner, restoring India's three-goal cushion and making the score 4-1.

New Zealand's Aidan Max scored in the 52nd minute, adding another goal to their tally. The final minutes saw New Zealand attempting to mount a comeback, but the Indian defense stood firm, ultimately securing the 4-2 victory for India.

With this win, India has extended their unbeaten run in the tournament and will face arch-rivals Pakistan in their next match. This year's Sultan of Johor Cup features six teams: India, Great Britain, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Pakistan. The teams will compete in a round-robin league format, with the top two teams advancing to the final. Great Britain is the most successful team in the history of the Sultan of Johor Cup, with four titles. India has won the tournament three times.

The Sultan of Johor Cup is an annual international U-21 men's field hockey tournament held in Malaysia. Established in 2011, the tournament is held at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium.