3 min readUpdated: Jun 23, 2026 10:17 PM IST
It wasn’t pretty how it ended, and Craig Fulton might not be pleased with the way India began. But India’s strength on the ball in the two middle quarters, the second and third, was enough for them to eke out a 4-3 win over Pakistan in a breathless FIH Pro League contest in London on Tuesday. The win extended a remarkable run that has now seen India stay unbeaten against their arch-rivals for more than a decade.
The victory may have been worth three Pro League points, but it carried significance far beyond a single evening. With India and Pakistan drawn in the same pool at August’s World Cup and also likely to cross paths at the Asian Games in September, Tuesday’s encounter could be the first of several meetings between the rivals over the next 100 days. They will face each other again in the return Pro League fixture on June 26.
India entered the match as favourites, not just because of a superior record in the recent encounters, but also because of the gradual momentum the team has been building over the last 10 days.
India’s resolve
The Harmanpreet Singh-led side arrived in London with renewed confidence after an encouraging Dutch leg of the Pro League. On Sunday, India produced one of its best results of the season, defeating hosts Netherlands 3-2 in Rotterdam. After struggling the whole year, the victory against the reigning Olympic champions and one of the favourites for this year’s World Cup underlined India’s ability to compete with the very best.
However, it was Pakistan who struck first on Tuesday. Ahmad Nadeem converted a penalty corner in the eighth minute to give his side an early lead and briefly silence the sizeable Indian support in the stands.
India responded strongly. Abhishek levelled the scores in the 22nd minute with a sharp field goal before Nilakanta Sharma converted a penalty corner two minutes later to put India ahead. The turnaround ensured India carried a 2-1 advantage into half-time.
The third quarter appeared to put the contest beyond Pakistan’s reach. Sukhjeet Singh finished off a flowing move in the 40th minute before Rajinder Singh converted another penalty corner to make it 4-1.
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Yet Pakistan refused to fade away. Abu Mahmood reduced the deficit through a penalty corner in the 53rd minute, and Moin Shakeel struck from another set-piece in the final minute, setting up a nervy finish.
India, however, held firm to preserve their unbeaten run against Pakistan, a streak stretching back to 2016. While Pakistan left the field encouraged by their competitiveness against a higher-ranked opponent, India walked away with another victory in a rivalry that remains one of hockey’s most compelling spectacles.
