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By Vikram Iyer — 27 June 2026 — 3 min read

The Indian Men’s Hockey Team delivered a strong offensive performance, defeating Pakistan 7-1 in the reverse fixture of their FIH Pro League London leg. The match took place at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, where India secured all three points despite an early deficit.

After falling behind in the first quarter, India responded with seven goals. Sukhjeet Singh scored in the 20th minute, followed by Harmanpreet Singh in the 26th minute. Hardik Singh converted a penalty stroke in the 34th minute, and Jugraj Singh added another goal in the 35th minute. Abhishek scored in the 41st minute, Raj Kumar Pal in the 44th minute, and Dilpreet Singh completed the scoring in the 54th minute. Hardik Singh was recognised as the ‘Player of the Match’ for his performance in midfield.

First Quarter Challenge and Indian Comeback

Both teams began the match with high intensity. India earned an early penalty corner within the first 90 seconds. However, Pakistan’s counter-attacks led to them winning a penalty corner in the 13th minute. Following an unsuccessful video referral by India, Pakistan captain Abu Bakar Mahmood converted with a drag-flick, giving his team a 1-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

India took control in the second quarter, using long passes to stretch Pakistan’s defence. Pakistan faced a setback in the 18th minute when a deflected pass accidentally struck Ahmad Nadeem, forcing him off the field. India capitalised on this, earning a penalty corner a minute later. Harmanpreet’s drag-flick was deflected into the net by Sukhjeet, levelling the score at 1-1.

In the 26th minute, India secured another penalty corner, with Harmanpreet scoring directly into the top left corner, giving India a 2-1 lead heading into halftime. This victory followed India’s shootout loss to England and also addressed some defensive issues from their earlier 4-3 win against Pakistan.

Dominance in the Second Half

India increased their dominance in the second half. In the 34th minute, India earned consecutive penalty corners, with the second leading to a penalty stroke. Hardik calmly converted it, extending India’s lead to 3-1. Pakistan responded by winning two penalty corners, but the Indian defence successfully blocked both attempts.

After defending the second penalty corner, India launched a quick counter-attack. Dilpreet combined with Sukhjeet, setting up Jugraj to score, making it 4-1. India’s offensive pressure continued, with Sukhjeet creating another opportunity in the 41st minute, passing to Abhishek who scored on the run to make it 5-1.

Late in the third quarter, India earned four consecutive penalty corners. On the fourth attempt, Raj Kumar Pal reacted quickly to guide the rebound of Harmanpreet’s drag-flick into the goal, extending the lead to 6-1. Pakistan’s coach, Khawaja Muhammad Junaid, mentioned during the half-time break that Ahmad Nadeem had sustained a facial injury and was being taken to the hospital for an X-ray.

Maintaining Intensity and Final Score

India maintained their defensive discipline in the final quarter while continuing to seek scoring opportunities. In the 54th minute, Dilpreet completed a well-executed move by scoring India’s seventh goal of the match. Pakistan earned back-to-back penalty corners in the final minutes, but veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh blocked both attempts, securing India’s 7-1 victory.

The win places India seventh on the points table, ahead of Spain and Pakistan. This result is seen as a boost for India ahead of their upcoming fixture against England. Pakistan’s search for their first win of the season continues after this match.

Source: hockeyindia.org