Asian Games 2026: Indian hockey team survives Pakistan scare to enter final after Abhishek’s late strike
The Indian men's hockey team secured a dramatic 4-3 victory over Pakistan in the Asian Games semifinals following a late goal by Abhishek. Despite a strong start and a 3-0 lead, India nearly surrendered the game before the final-minute strike ensured their spot in the final.
Why it matters
The match highlights the intense sporting rivalry between India and Pakistan and showcases the high-stakes nature of international field hockey tournaments.
Defending champions India survived a scare before Abhishek struck with just 45 seconds remaining to snatch a dramatic 4-3 victory over arch-rivals Pakistan and seal a place in the Asian Games hockey final in Kakamigahara on Thursday (October 1, 2026).
Harmanpreet converted two perfectly executed penalty corners in the 5th and 13th minutes, while Sukhjeet Singh scored a field goal in the 23rd minute. Abhishek scored the winning goal for India from a field play in the final minute of the game.
Pakistan’s goals were scored by Abu Mahmood (30th minute), Hannan Shahid (45th) and Waheed Rana (49th).
The defending champions looked set for a comfortable semifinal win after captain Harmanpreet’s brace and Sukhjeet Singh’s field strike put them firmly in control.
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