India Beat Pakistan 5-3 in Hockey World Cup 2026 as Pakistan’s Campaign Ends
India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 5-3 in a thrilling Pool D encounter at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 in Amstelveen, Netherlands, securing second place in the group and advancing to the next phase. Pakistan, meanwhile, saw its campaign move into the classification stage after failing to secure the victory needed to progress.
The highly anticipated match at the Wagener Hockey Stadium lived up to expectations, with both sides producing attacking hockey in front of a packed crowd. India’s captain Harmanpreet Singh and forward Abhishek scored two goals each, while Hardik Singh added another from a penalty stroke. Pakistan responded through Hannan Shahid, who scored twice, and Sufyan Khan, who converted a penalty corner.
India Make a Fast Start
Pakistan entered the match under significant pressure after losing 4-1 to England and drawing 3-3 with Wales in their first two Pool D games. A win against India was therefore essential to keep their hopes of reaching the next stage alive.
India started aggressively and immediately put Pakistan’s defence under pressure. The Indian side earned four penalty corners during the opening 15 minutes, and Harmanpreet opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a powerful flick.
Abhishek then doubled India’s advantage in the 11th minute. After receiving an aerial pass from Harmanpreet, he controlled the ball before his shot took a deflection off a Pakistani defender and ended up in the net.
The official FIH Hockey World Cup match centre confirms India’s 5-3 victory in the World Cup encounter.
Pakistan Fight Back
India extended its lead to 3-0 in the 21st minute when Harmanpreet reacted quickly to a rebound following a penalty-corner variation.
Pakistan finally found a breakthrough one minute later. Hannan Shahid’s first attempt was saved by Indian goalkeeper Suraj Karkera, but the Pakistani forward followed up to reduce the deficit.
Abhishek restored India’s three-goal advantage in the 24th minute after receiving a long pass from Jugraj Singh and entering the circle. His effort deflected off a Pakistani defender before finding the goal.
Pakistan responded again when Sufyan Khan converted a penalty corner to make it 4-2. The goal gave Pakistan renewed confidence and kept the contest competitive going into halftime.
Hardik Singh Adds Fifth Goal
India regained its three-goal cushion early in the second half. Hardik Singh converted a penalty stroke after Aditya Lalage was obstructed inside the circle, making the score 5-2.
Pakistan refused to give up and continued searching for opportunities. Hannan Shahid scored his second goal in the 46th minute after India lost possession in midfield, bringing Pakistan within two goals at 5-3.
The Green Shirts continued attacking during the final quarter and earned another penalty corner late in the match. However, their variation failed to trouble India’s defence, allowing India to close out the victory.
India Advance, Pakistan Enter Classification Phase
The victory gave India six points and second place in Pool D, keeping the team in contention for the semifinals under the 2026 World Cup’s revised competition format. England topped the group after defeating Wales 8-2. Pakistan and Wales moved into the classification phase.
The 2026 tournament features a new format in which the top teams progress through a second pool phase before the semifinalists are determined. The revised structure means India’s victory over Pakistan was particularly important for keeping its title ambitions alive.
The match also added another chapter to one of international hockey’s most historic rivalries. According to the official FIH records, India and Pakistan had not met at a World Cup since 2010 before their 2026 encounter.
For India, the performance highlighted the attacking quality of Harmanpreet Singh and Abhishek. For Pakistan, the three goals demonstrated their ability to fight back despite conceding early, but defensive lapses and India’s efficiency ultimately proved decisive.
The 5-3 India vs Pakistan result will remain one of the most talked-about matches of the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup, with India moving forward and Pakistan’s hopes of competing for the title coming to an end.