India Beat Pakistan 4-3 in Asian Games Hockey Semifinal

India secured a place in the men’s hockey final at the Asian Games 2026 after defeating Pakistan 4-3 in a dramatic semifinal on October 1. The match at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium produced a major comeback, a tense final quarter and a decisive goal from Abhishek in the closing seconds.

India started the India vs Pakistan hockey semifinal with attacking intent and quickly put pressure on Pakistan’s defence. Captain Harmanpreet Singh opened the scoring through a penalty corner and then added another goal as India established a 2-0 advantage. Sukhjeet Singh extended the lead with a field goal in the 23rd minute, giving India a strong 3-0 position.

Pakistan, however, refused to let the match slip away. Abu Mahmood pulled one goal back before the end of the first half. Hannan Shahid then scored in the third quarter, reducing the deficit to one. Pakistan continued to attack and eventually levelled the contest at 3-3 through Waheed Ashraf Rana in the fourth quarter. The comeback completely changed the momentum of the Asian Games 2026 hockey semifinal.

With the match heading toward a tense finish, India produced the crucial moment. Abhishek found the net with less than a minute remaining, with Hockey India reporting the winning strike at 49.2 seconds before the final whistle. His goal restored India’s lead and secured a 4-3 victory over Pakistan.

The result sends India into the Asian Games men’s hockey gold-medal match. According to the Olympic Games report and Olympic Council of Asia, India will face Malaysia in the final after Malaysia defeated South Korea 2-1 in the other semifinal.

Harmanpreet Singh was central to India’s early advantage, scoring twice from penalty corners. Sukhjeet Singh added another important goal, while Abhishek became the match-winner with his late field goal. Pakistan’s scoring came from Abu Mahmood, Hannan Shahid and Waheed Ashraf Rana.

The India vs Pakistan hockey contest once again highlighted the competitive nature of the rivalry. India had entered the semifinal after finishing top of Pool A with five wins from five matches, while Pakistan had finished second in Pool B. The semifinal therefore brought together two teams with a place in the Asian Games final at stake.

For India, the 4-3 result keeps their gold-medal campaign alive and gives the team another opportunity to defend its Asian Games hockey title. The final will provide the next major test for the Indian men’s hockey team as they look to finish the tournament with the gold medal.