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.