India secured their spot in the second round of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 after a commanding 5-3 victory over arch-rivals Pakistan on Wednesday. In a pulsating Pool D encounter, captain Harmanpreet Singh and the skillful Abhishek proved to be the difference-makers, each netting two goals to dismantle the Pakistani defense. Hardik Singh also contributed to the scoreboard, ensuring that India maintained a firm grip on the game despite a spirited fightback from their opponents.

Although Pakistan’s Hannan Shahid scored twice and Sufyan Khan added another, the team could not overcome the early momentum built by the Indian side. The match saw India take a quick 3-0 lead in the first half, punctuated by spectacular individual runs and clinical penalty corner conversions. While Pakistan managed to narrow the gap to 4-2 by halftime and added one more in the final quarter, India’s defense held steady under pressure to close out the win. This result officially eliminates Pakistan from the tournament, while India advances alongside England, who dominated their match against Wales earlier that day.