Amstelveen, August 19: India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 5-3 in a thrilling Pool D clash at the Hockey World Cup 2026 in Amstelveen to secure their place in the second round.
Harmanpreet Singh and Abhishek starred for India, scoring two goals each, while Hardik Singh also found the net as India held off a spirited Pakistan comeback.
India made a flying start, with Harmanpreet converting a penalty corner in the fifth minute before Abhishek doubled the advantage with a field goal in the 11th minute. Harmanpreet struck again in the 21st minute to put India 3-0 ahead.
Pakistan finally opened their account through Hannan Shahid in the 22nd minute, but Abhishek quickly restored India’s three-goal advantage two minutes later. Sufyan Khan then converted a penalty corner to make it 4-2 at half-time.
India extended their lead early in the second half when Hardik Singh converted a penalty stroke in the 35th minute.
Pakistan refused to give up and Hannan Shahid scored his second goal in the 46th minute to reduce the deficit to 5-3. The final quarter saw Pakistan apply sustained pressure, but India’s defence remained composed under pressure.
India managed the closing stages effectively and protected their two-goal cushion to seal a hard-fought victory.
The win sees India eliminate Pakistan and advance to the second stage of the Hockey World Cup, keeping their campaign firmly on track.
