FIH World Cup: India beat Pakistan 5-3, seal round 2 spot

India have booked their place in Round 2 of the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2026 after a thrilling 5-3 win over arch-rivals Pakistan.

With less than a minute left, Pakistan launch one final counter, but Harmanpreet Singh makes a crucial tackle to win the ball back and kill the attack.

India beat Pakistan 5-3.

A thrilling win for India, who secure their place in the next round from Pool D.

India are then down to 10 men after Aditya Lalage is shown a yellow card for a poor tackle. He will miss the next five minutes as Pakistan look to make the most of the advantage.

Pakistan appeal for a penalty corner. The TV umpire agrees after the ball strikes Sanjay.

Sufyan Khan steps up, but Pakistan's variation goes badly wrong. They lose possession and India win a free hit.

Pakistan have made the perfect start to the final quarter. Hannan Shahid punished a mistake from Hardik Singh in midfield, beating Suraj Karkera with a composed finish in the 46th minute.

Pakistan have come out firing after the break, but India still hold a two-goal cushion with time running out.

India 5-3 Pakistan.

India had a golden chance to extend their lead, but Sukhjeet Singh missed with only the goalkeeper to beat after receiving a superb aerial pass.

Pakistan responded with a penalty corner, but Sufyan Khan's drag-flick was blocked by the rusher and India cleared the danger.

India kept pressing for a sixth. Hardik Singh picked out Shilanand with a fine pass into the circle, but the ball had too much pace for him to control.

Abhishek then appeared to have scored, but the ball deflected off a Pakistan stick and went out.

India take a three-goal lead into the final quarter.

India make another crucial defensive block after Pakistan break into the circle from the right. Harmanpreet Singh lets out a big roar, clearly pumped up by the challenge.

Moments later, India are awarded a penalty stroke after Arshad brings down Aaditya with his stick inside the circle.

Hardik Singh steps up and makes no mistake, calmly finding the net to restore India's three-goal advantage.

35 minutes: India 5-2 Pakistan.

Pakistan have found their rhythm and are looking far more dangerous on the counter. The game has become a thrilling end-to-end contest.

It has been a fiery first half. India raced into a 3-0 lead before Pakistan fought back with two quick goals. Abhishek's strike briefly restored India's three-goal advantage, but Sufyan Khan's penalty-corner goal made it 4-2.

With the intensity rising, the second half promises plenty more fireworks. India-Pakistan is living up to its billing.

Pakistan have hit back almost immediately, winning a penalty corner just moments after India's fourth goal.

Sufyan Khan steps up and fires the drag-flick, with the ball taking a deflection off Amit Rohidas before finding the net.

24 minutes: India 4-2 Pakistan.

Abhishek is making a real difference inside the Pakistan circle. The Indian forward produced a superb bit of dribbling to create space, got a touch of luck from a deflection, and made the most of it as the ball took a Pakistan stick before finding the net.

24 minutes: India 4-1 Pakistan.

Pakistan have pulled one back in the 22nd minute. Suraj Karkera made a good save from the initial effort, but Hannan Shahid reacted quickly to the rebound and fired it past the Indian goalkeeper.

India 3-1 Pakistan.

The second quarter is underway and India have picked up right where they left off.

Harmanpreet Singh sends an aerial towards Mandeep, but the forward can't quite get the trap right. Moments later, India are back on the attack.

Pakistan are struggling to contain Harmanpreet, and the India captain has now scored his second goal of the match to make it 3-0.

India's defence has also been rock-solid, keeping Pakistan at bay. Seconds later, Shilanand Lakra earns a penalty corner after receiving an aerial ball.

India go for a variation instead of the usual direct drag-flick. Rajinder Singh's effort is saved, but India keep possession. The ball eventually finds Harmanpreet, who unleashes a powerful strike past the goalkeeper.

20': India 3-0 Pakistan.

Harmanpreet Singh misses the drag-flick as India fail to convert another penalty corner. The Indian team considers a referral but decides not to take it.

India have been firmly in control, with Harmanpreet and Abhishek getting on the scoresheet to give them a deserved two-goal lead.

India have been all over Pakistan in the opening quarter and have now doubled their lead to 2-0 in the 10th minute.

The home side kept the pressure on after Harmanpreet Singh's opener, winning another penalty corner within seconds. Harmanpreet's drag-flick was on target, but Pakistan goalkeeper stood firm to make the save.

India continued to attack down the right, with Lalage showing some neat dribbling to enter the circle, although his final shot lacked the finish. Another dangerous cut-back followed, but there was no Indian stick in the centre to make the most of it.

India's sustained pressure finally paid off again. Abhishek produced superb control from an aerial pass before playing the ball across, and Mandeep Singh got the slightest of touches to send it into the net.

India 2-0 Pakistan in the 11th minute.

India have made a lively start against Pakistan, with both teams showing plenty of intent in the opening minutes.

Pakistan gifted India possession from a free hit, allowing Abhishek to carry the ball into the circle. He found the centre, and Dilpreet eventually got a shot away, but it struck a Pakistan stick and went out for a long corner.

Pakistan then had their first real attacking moment, trying to break into the circle from the left. Sanjay, however, timed his tackle perfectly to win the ball back in the fourth minute.

India soon earned a penalty corner, with Abhishek once again at the heart of the action. Harmanpreet Singh stepped up, but his first attempt hit a foot and was blocked.

India got another chance from the PC and this time Harmanpreet made no mistake. He fired a low, powerful shot towards the goalkeeper's left, beating the post defender to put India 1-0 up in the fifth minute.

The Indian men's hockey team will be hoping to seal a place in the second round with a win over Pakistan at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen on Wednesday.

The players are out on the field for the national anthems as the much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash gets underway.

India are sporting their all-orange home kit, while Pakistan are in white with shades of green.

India's Playing XI:

Suraj Karkera (GK), Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, Abhishek, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Rajinder Singh.

Substitutes: Jarmanpreet Singh, Aditya Lalage, Mohith HS, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Sukhjeet Singh, Shilanand Lakra.

Yashdeep Siwach and Nilakanta Sharma have not been included in India's squad for the match.

Pakistan's Playing XI:

Muhammad Abdullah, Sufyan Khan, Moin Shakeel, Hannan Shahid, Zikriya Hayat, Arshad Liaqat, Ammad Butt, Abdul Rehman, Umar Mustafa, Abu Mahmood (c), Ali Raza (GK).

But this time, ahead of Wednesday's crucial Hockey World Cup 2026 clash, there is another question doing the rounds -- will the Indian and Pakistan hockey teams shake hands?

The question comes after the Indian cricket team recently moved away from the customary handshake with Pakistan players. Hockey, however, has largely stayed away from that debate.

Hockey India made its position clear in November last year, saying it would follow the Olympic Charter and the guidelines of the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

India will renew their rivalry with Pakistan when the two sides meet in the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2026 at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands, on Wednesday.

It will be the first World Cup meeting between the arch-rivals in 16 years. Their last clash came in New Delhi on March 4, 2010, when India secured a 4-1 victory.

With both teams needing a strong result to strengthen their chances of progressing to the next round, the stakes are high in what promises to be a closely watched encounter.

India are placed in Pool D alongside England, Pakistan and Wales, with all their group-stage matches being played in Amstelveen.