India vs Pakistan Highlights, Hockey World Cup 2026: IND beat PAK 5-3, through to 2nd round

India are through to the 2nd round, Pakistan knocked out. It was a rather cagey last quarter, Pakistan could make just two circle entries in the last quarter, thus showing to what extent India managed to control the match but India themselves made just six. However, both sides went toe-to-toe in this regard in the second and third quarters, six for each.

So, India and England are through to the second round where they will be placed in Pool E. Unless there are any giant upsets in Pool A, the other two teams in their pool are likely to be the Netherlands and Argentina.

57th min: ...and Pakistan attacking with whatever they've got, although they are yet to take off the goalkeeper. Moin tries to blaze the ball into the D. Pakistan then appeal for a PC and the TV umpire rules their way.

48th min: Abhishek manages to get the ball out from India's D and passes to Dilpreet once he is in the Pakistani half. Dilpreet tries passing it inside the D but it is intercepted by a Pakistani stick. Pakistan did really well to get numbers back to deal with that counter.

And that was the last action of the third quarter. Onto the last quarter we go.

39th min: Abhishek with an aerial ball that catches Pakistan out, Sufyan tried to intercept in the air but misses and Sukhjeet Singh seems clear on goal. However, he ends up shooting wide.

35th min: ...and Hardik converts it. As cool as they come, he sends the Pakistan keeper the wrong way, hits it into the top left corner.

India 5-2 Pakistan

All right, Pakistan get us going for the second half.

This is what the two coaches had to tell the broadcasters at half time:

Bob Veldhof: “We have a chance. We started really soft. Some players just behind the guy, but we picked up quite good. We have to step up in the second half. We go.”

Craig Fulton: “These games go like that very quickly. We need to be better on the ball so we don’t give soft turnovers.”

28th min: This is a different team altogether from the one that was being pummelled by India in the first quarter. Pakistan had won another PC right after they scored that second goal of theirs, this time, though the trap wasn't good enough and Sumit clears the danger away. But since then, Pakistan have been passing the ball around, probably the longest spell that they have had on the ball this match.

24th min: Goals galore at the moment. Mandeep passes the ball to Abhishek inside the D. He manages to find a way to weave through about four or five Pakistan defenders before smashing it past their goaltender.

India 4-1 Pakistan

21st min: Well a rare goal from Harmanpreet that is not directly from a PC situation, although it came in the immediate aftermath of one. India snuff out a Pakistan attack and then comes an aerial ball all the way at the other end. Shilanand receives it and then manages to draw a foul to get yet another PC.

India go for a variation this time, Rajinder ends up going for a dragflick. That is saved but it comes to Harmanpreet on the right who unleashes a vicious hit to the top left corner of goal.

India 3-0 Pakistan

18th min: Pakistan work the ball forward, Rana manages to enter the D under pressure from Dilpreet. He has enough space for a shot and he goes for it, but he swings at thin air and misses the ball! The attack fizzes out.

The play then halts, it had initially looked like the umpire was considering giving a free hit to India retrospectively for dangerous play by Rana. However, turns out it was someone stricken in the stands. Doctor is on the way and play resumes.

11th min: Abhishek receives an aerial pass superbly and then passes into a crowded area inside the D. Mandeep gets a deflection on it and sends it into goal.

India 2-0 Pakistan

8th min: It's not that Pakistan have not made any forays of their own but so dangerous have India been on the counter that the latter is what matters far more. Abhishek receives the ball from forward-charging Jarmanpreet, and he plays it back to the latter as he continues his run. Jarman then squares it across goal and it doesn't find an Indian stick.

4th min: Pakistan squandered possession from a free hit, Abhishek worked the ball into the circle and passed it to the in-form Dilpreet. He takes the shot and it hits a Pakistan stick for a long corner. India with the early intent here.

No theatrics here. Shaking hands is part of the pre-match protocols and the players respect it.

First comes the Indian national anthem, then Pakistan's. India are in saffron, Pakistan in green.

The last time Pakistan beat India in a hockey match was back in 2016 but the drought is even longer in the Hockye World Cup. The last time Pakistan won this fixture in this tournament was all the way back in the 1986 World Cup in London.

India vs Pakistan matches are not what they used to be in this sport... but it is India vs Pakistan nonetheless. Moreover, India NEED to win this (or draw it). Rarely have they actually faced Pakistan in a tournament with some amount of pressure riding on the match in the recent past, let alone a tournament in which they don't have a good record and are desperate to turn it around. It will be interesting to see if India can quickly rise above these factors.