Riding on a brace each by Harmanpreet Singh and Abhishek, India beat Pakistan 5-3 in their final Pool D contest of the FIH Hockey World Cup at Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen, the Netherlands on Wednesday (August 19).
Quick summary – click for full detailsConcise summary of key highlights
FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 | India thrash Pakistan in final pool tie
In one lineIndia defeated Pakistan 5-3 in a high-scoring FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 pool match.Key highlights• Historic rivalryIndia and Pakistan have a long-standing hockey rivalry, with India dominating recent encounters in World Cup history.• Key players’ impactHarmanpreet Singh and Abhishek scored braces, securing India’s victory in the final Pool D match.• Recent form comparisonIndia suffered a 2-4 defeat to England but recovered to beat Pakistan, while Pakistan drew with Wales after losing to England.• Historical significanceThe Wagener Stadium has hosted iconic India-Pakistan clashes, including a 1973 semifinal where India won 1-0.• Recent dominanceIndia have won the last three meetings against Pakistan, including a 7-1 and 4-3 victory in the Pro League earlier this year.Key statistics5-3Final score7-1 and 4-3India’s Pro League wins2010Last World Cup meetingProcessed with AI. Reviewed by DH Digital Team.
Hardhik Singh scored the other goal for the winners.
India had opened their campaign with a 3-1 win over Wales but suffered a 2-4 defeat against world No. 3 England after conceding three goals in the second half. Pakistan, meanwhile, drew 3-3 with Wales after losing 1-4 to England.
The Wagener Stadium had witnessed one of the most fiercely contested matches between archrivals in World Cup history more than five decades ago, when India edged Pakistan 1-0 in the semifinal with B P Govinda scoring the decisive goal in the 62nd minute.
But on Wednesday, it was a dull affair with India leading 4-2 at the halfway mark.
India have enjoyed the upper hand in recent meetings and defeated Pakistan 7-1 and 4-3 in the European leg of the Pro League earlier this year. Pakistan’s last win over India came in the 2016 Champions Trophy.
The last time both teams met in a World Cup was in Delhi in 2010, when India, led by Rajpal Singh, defeated Pakistan 4-1. Pakistan subsequently missed the 2014 and 2023 World Cups and did not meet India in the 2018 edition.