Bangladesh's Under-20 men's hockey team kept their Junior World Cup ambitions alive on Tuesday, bouncing back from two consecutive defeats to beat Kazakhstan 4-2 in their third match of the ongoing Junior Asia Cup in Inner Mongolia, China.

The victory arrived at a crucial moment for the young side, who had looked increasingly under pressure after losing 3-2 to hosts China in their opening fixture and then falling 4-2 to Malaysia in their second outing of the tournament.

Bangladesh set the tone from the very first whistle, playing attacking hockey throughout and repeatedly pinning Kazakhstan back with wave after wave of pressure that eventually told on the scoreboard as the match progressed.

Shimul Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Tayyab Ali and Munna Islam each found the net for Bangladesh, with the four goal haul proving more than enough to see off a Kazakhstan side unable to match the visitors' intensity on the day.

The result marked Bangladesh's first points on the board in this year's competition, having previously gone winless through their opening two matches against significantly stronger opposition in China and Malaysia earlier in the tournament schedule.

Teams finishing in the top six of the Junior Asia Cup earn qualification for the Junior World Cup, a tournament Bangladesh competed in during the previous edition, making Tuesday's win an important step back towards securing another appearance on that stage.

Bangladesh's men will now turn their attention to a clash against Pakistan, a result that is likely to shape which opponent awaits them in the subsequent placement match as the tournament moves towards its business end.

The men's win capped a strong day for Bangladesh hockey overall, with the Under-20 women's team also beating Kazakhstan earlier in the day, running out comfortable 4-0 winners in their own fixture at the same venue.

Bangladesh's women currently sit top of the Challenger group standings after winning three consecutive matches, a run of form strong enough that their position at the summit remains secure regardless of the outcome of their final group match.

That last fixture sees the women's side face Hong Kong, a contest they can afford to lose without it affecting their overall standing, given the cushion already built up through their unbeaten run in the group phase so far.