The Indian men’s hockey team delivered when it mattered most, defeating arch-rivals Pakistan 5-3 in a pulsating Pool D encounter at the FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium & Netherlands 2026 on Wednesday.
The hard-fought win at Wagener Hockey Stadium not only extended India’s remarkable decade of dominance in this iconic rivalry but also secured their place in the next round of the tournament.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh led from the front with a brace of penalty-corner goals (5’ and 21’), while Abhishek produced two stunning field goals (11’ and 24’). Vice-captain Hardik Singh calmly converted a penalty stroke in the 35th minute to complete India’s tally. Pakistan fought back through Hannan Shahid (22’ and 46’) and Sufyan Khan (25’), but the Men in Blue held firm to close out the contest.
India finished second in Pool D with six points from three matches, behind group toppers England, and advance to the second round still firmly in the race for the semi-finals. Pakistan, meanwhile, were eliminated from the competition.
India had started the campaign with a 3-1 win over Wales before suffering a 2-4 setback against England. Wednesday’s result against their traditional rivals provided the perfect response. The players later walked over to the stands to acknowledge the passionate Indian support, sharing the moment of victory with the fans who made the noise throughout the high-stakes clash.
The result marks the first India-Pakistan meeting at the Hockey World Cup since 2010 and further strengthens a winning streak against the Green Shirts that now stretches well over a decade.
With the pool stage complete, the focus now shifts to the next challenge as India prepare to keep their World Cup ambitions alive.
The road ahead gets bigger, but the Men in Blue march on with confidence.
