Amstelveen: India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 5-3 in an eight-goal thriller to close out their Pool D campaign at the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026, with captain Harmanpreet Singh and forward Abhishek scoring twice each to secure a crucial win at the Wagener Stadium on Wednesday.
India got off to a flying start, with Harmanpreet opening the scoring in the fifth minute through a well-executed move before Abhishek doubled the lead with a fine field goal in the 11th minute. Harmanpreet then converted a penalty corner in the 21st minute to put India 3-0 ahead, and the defending champions looked set to run away with the contest.
However, Pakistan hit back almost immediately, with Hannan Shahid pulling one back in the 22nd minute. Abhishek restored India’s three-goal cushion just a minute later with his second strike of the match in the 24th minute, but Pakistan responded within seconds through Sufyan Khan’s powerful drag-flick, making it 4-2 and setting up a tense finish.
Vice-captain Hardik Singh then stepped up to convert a penalty stroke in the 35th minute, extending India’s advantage to 5-2 and easing some of the pressure on the defending side. Pakistan, however, refused to give up and continued to press, with Hannan Shahid completing his brace in the 46th minute after capitalising on an error in India’s midfield, narrowing the gap to 5-3.
India held their nerve in the closing stages to see out the contest and secure a hard-fought 5-3 victory, finishing second in Pool D behind England, who topped the group with three wins. The result confirmed India’s progression to the next round of the tournament, while Pakistan and Wales were pushed into the classification phase, ending Pakistan’s medal hopes at the tournament.
The win extended India’s long-standing unbeaten run against Pakistan in the sport, a streak that dates back several years and continues to underline India’s dominance in the fierce cross-border hockey rivalry.
With the victory, India now shift their focus to the next phase of the World Cup, aiming to build on the momentum generated by their attacking display and the composure shown in defence during Pakistan’s late surge.