India beat rivals Pakistan 5-3 to reach FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2026 second round

Indian players celebrate beating Pakistan (Pic: PTI)

India earned their spot in the second round of the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2026 after a thrilling 5-3 victory over rivals Pakistan.

Braces from skipper Harmanpreet Singh and forward Abhishek, alongside a goal from Hardik Singh, helped the Indian attack defeat their arch-rivals. Despite a strong response from Pakistan featuring two goals from Hannan Shahid and a penalty corner conversion by Sufyan Khan, the defeat sealed Pakistan's elimination from the tournament.

Harmanpreet started the scoring in the fifth minute, converting from a penalty corner with a drag-flick into the bottom-right corner. Abhishek doubled the advantage six minutes later, showcasing skilful footwork around the goal.

India extended their lead to 3-0 in the 21st minute through a clever penalty corner variation. Harmanpreet initially attempted a pass before receiving the ball back to score from close range.

Pakistan responded immediately in the 22nd minute as Hannan Shahid utilised his quick pace to finish a fine field goal. A rapid sequence in the 24th minute saw Abhishek score his second, only for Sufyan to quickly respond off Pakistan's opening penalty corner, taking the score to 4-2 at halftime.

India hold off late Pakistan surge to book second-round spot

India restarted with intent in the third quarter, earning a penalty stroke within five minutes following Arshad Liaqat's foul on Sukhjeet Singh. Hardik stepped up to convert, restoring India's three-goal cushion.

Although India dominated possession throughout the third period, Pakistan raised their intensity in the final quarter. A successful high press allowed Shahid to race through on a one-on-one opportunity against goalkeeper Suraj Karkera, sliding the ball inside the near post to reduce the deficit to 5-3. Pakistan pushed hard in the closing minutes, but India held firm to lock in the victory.

Earlier, England secured the top spot in the pool with a dominant 8-2 victory over Wales. England will carry three points and a +2 goal difference into the second round, joining India, Netherlands, and either New Zealand or Argentina in the next phase.

Earlier in their second group match against England on Monday, eighth-ranked India conceded three second-half goals to suffer a 2-4 defeat to World No 3 England.