India produced a composed and attacking display to beat Pakistan 5-3 in their final Pool D match of the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 on Wednesday, securing second place in the pool and keeping their semi-final hopes alive.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh and forward Abhishek scored twice each, while Hardik Singh added another as India overcame a spirited Pakistan challenge. Hannan Shahid scored twice for Pakistan, with Sufiyan Khan also finding the net, but India held their nerve to secure a crucial victory.
England finished top of Pool D with three wins from three matches. India ended the pool stage in second place with six points, while Pakistan and Wales moved into the classification phase.
India made a fast start and immediately put Pakistan under pressure, particularly through their attacks down the left flank. Their pressure paid off in the fifth minute when a dangerous ricochet inside the circle earned them a penalty corner.
Harmanpreet’s first drag-flick struck a defender’s foot and India were awarded a retake. The captain made no mistake with his second attempt, firing a powerful flick beyond goalkeeper Ali Raza to give India a 1-0 lead.
India continued to dominate possession and created another opening moments later, but Harmanpreet’s low penalty-corner effort was comfortably saved.
The second goal arrived in the 11th minute. Harmanpreet’s aerial ball found Abhishek, whose attempted pass took a deflection off the Pakistan defence and wrong-footed the goalkeeper, doubling India’s advantage.
India maintained their attacking momentum and added a third in the 21st minute. A penalty corner led to a variation that initially produced a save, but Harmanpreet reacted quickly to the rebound, created space and fired home to make it 3-0.
Pakistan responded almost immediately. A turnover in midfield allowed them to launch an attack, and although the Indian goalkeeper initially denied Moin Shakeel, Hannan Shahid reacted fastest to the loose ball and pulled one back in the 22nd minute.
India restored their three-goal advantage just two minutes later. Jugraj Singh’s powerful slap was brilliantly controlled by Abhishek at the top of the circle. The forward continued his run and finished from a tight angle to make it 4-1.
Pakistan refused to surrender and struck again in the same minute. Sufiyan Khan converted a penalty corner with a precise flick to reduce the deficit to 4-2.
The second quarter turned into a goal-filled battle, with both sides scoring twice as Pakistan continued to threaten India’s defence.
India regained control after the interval and extended their lead in the 35th minute. Aditya was pushed inside the circle, resulting in a penalty stroke. Hardik Singh stepped up and calmly converted to restore India’s three-goal cushion at 5-2.
Pakistan continued to search for a way back, while India looked to exploit spaces on the counter. Sukhjeet came close to adding another goal after finding himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but he was unable to keep control of the ball.
Pakistan’s persistence eventually paid off in the 46th minute. Another lapse in India’s midfield allowed Hannan Shahid to pounce and score his second goal of the match, making it 5-3.
The final quarter was a test of India’s defensive discipline. Pakistan pushed forward in numbers and earned a penalty corner in the 58th minute, but their variation broke down and India survived the threat.
India managed the closing stages intelligently, denying Pakistan the opportunity to mount a late comeback and sealing a valuable 5-3 victory.
The win lifted India to six points and confirmed their second-place finish in Pool D. With England advancing as pool winners, India remain in contention for a place in the semi-finals, while Pakistan and Wales will now compete in the classification phase.
(Input from Hockey India)
