India Crush Pakistan 5-3 To Seal Knockout Berth In Hockey World Cup

India secured a hard-fought 5-3 victory over Pakistan in their final Pool D fixture at the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 in Amstelveen, Netherlands, on Wednesday.

The win helped India finish second in their group and book a place in the next stage of the tournament.

England topped Pool D after recording three consecutive victories, while Pakistan and Wales moved into the classification phase.

Captain Harmanpreet Singh and forward Abhishek played decisive roles in India’s victory by scoring two goals each.

Harmanpreet opened India’s account in the fifth minute by converting a penalty corner before adding another goal in the 21st minute.

Abhishek then extended India’s advantage with field goals in the 11th and 24th minutes.

India established control early in the contest, with their attacks from the left flank repeatedly troubling the Pakistani defence.

Pakistan mounted a strong response and attempted to close the gap during an intense second half.

Hannan Shahid converted penalty corners in the 22nd and 46th minutes, while Sufyan Khan scored from another penalty corner in the 24th minute.

India absorbed the pressure effectively and prevented Pakistan from completing its comeback.

Hardik Singh restored India’s advantage by converting a penalty stroke in the 35th minute.

India controlled the decisive moments despite Pakistan’s repeated attempts to threaten their lead.

The Indian defence held firm during the closing stages and ensured that the team completed a memorable 5-3 victory.

The result keeps India’s semi-final ambitions alive as the team moves into the knockout phase of the competition.

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