The Indian men’s hockey team overcame a spirited late comeback from Pakistan to secure a thrilling 4-3 victory in their opening match of the London leg of the 2025-26 FIH Pro League on Tuesday.
Despite controlling possession and creating the better opportunities early on, India fell behind in the eighth minute when Ahmad Nadeem converted a penalty corner to give Pakistan a surprise lead at the end of the first quarter.
India responded strongly in the second period and quickly turned the match around. Abhishek equalised in the 23rd minute after capitalising on a rebound during a swift counterattack. Just a minute later, Nilakanta Sharma completed the turnaround with a clinical finish, handing India a 2-1 advantage heading into the halftime break.
Pakistan’s late charge falls short
The Harmanpreet Singh-led side continued to dominate after the restart and extended its lead in the 40th minute. Sukhjeet Singh capped off an impressive attacking move to make it 3-1 and put India firmly in control.
Rajinder then added a fourth goal from a penalty corner in the 52nd minute, seemingly sealing the result and giving India a comfortable three-goal cushion.
Pakistan, however, mounted a dramatic fightback in the closing stages. Abu reduced the deficit before another goal in the final minute brought the scoreline to 4-3 and set up a tense finish.
India managed to withstand the late pressure and held on for an important victory against its arch-rivals
The result gives India a positive start to the London leg and valuable points in its bid to climb the standings. More importantly, the performance showcased India’s attacking quality, although the late defensive lapses will be an area of concern heading into the remaining matches of the campaign.
