India Advance To Men's Hockey Final After Thrilling Semifinal Win Over Pakistan
Defending champions India survived a scare before Abhishek struck with 45 seconds remaining to beat arch-rivals Pakistan 4-3 in the Asian Games hockey semifinal on Thursday and book a place in the final. Harmanpreet converted two penalty corners in the 5th and 13th minutes and Sukhjeet Singh scored from field play in the 23rd as India raced into a 3-0 lead. Pakistan then fought back with goals from Abu Mahmood in the 30th minute, Hannan Shahid in the 45th and Waheed Rana in the 49th to drag the game level. With time running out, India finally found a way through. Abhishek got the decisive touch near the goalmouth, and the deflection off Pakistan defender Sufiyan wrong-footed Ali Raza to send India into the final, where they will meet the winner of the other semifinal between South Korea and Malaysia.
India's captain Harmanpreet Singh, second left, Jugraj Singh, centre, Nilakanta Sharma, left, and others celebrate after winning the men's semifinal hockey match between India and Pakistan, at the ongoing 20th Asian Games, in Kakamigahara, Japan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. | Photo: PTI/Atul Yadav
India's captain Harmanpreet Singh, 13, Mandeep Singh, 11, and Manpreet Singh, 7, being congratulated by Pakistan's Ammad Butt, 16, after winning the men's semifinal hockey match between India and Pakistan, at the ongoing 20th Asian Games, in Kakamigahara, Japan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. India's Nilakanta Sharma, 18, is also seen. | Photo: PTI/Atul Yadav
Pakistan's Hannan Shahid, 9, celebrates a goal with Nadeem Ahmad, 14, Zikriya Hayat, 10, and Ghazanfar Ali, 15, during a men's semifinal hockey match between India and Pakistan, at the ongoing 20th Asian Games, in Kakamigahara, Japan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. | Photo: PTI/Atul Yadav
India's Sukhjeet Singh, 34, celebrates a goal with captain Harmanpreet Singh, 13, and others during a men's semifinal hockey match between India and Pakistan, at the ongoing 20th Asian Games, in Kakamigahara, Japan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. | Photo: PTI/Atul Yadav
India's Sukhjeet Singh, 34, celebrates a goal with teammates during a men's semifinal hockey match between India and Pakistan, at the ongoing 20th Asian Games, in Kakamigahara, Japan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. | Photo: PTI/Atul Yadav
India's Shilanand Lakra, 99, and Abhishek, 5, vie for the ball with Pakistan's Ammad Butt, 16, during a men's semifinal hockey match between India and Pakistan, at the ongoing 20th Asian Games, in Kakamigahara, Japan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. | Photo: PTI/Atul Yadav
India's Sumit, 17, vies for the ball during a men's semifinal hockey match between India and Pakistan, at the ongoing 20th Asian Games, in Kakamigahara, Japan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. | Photo: PTI/Atul Yadav
India's Shilanand Lakra, 99, and Abhishek, 5, reacts during a men's semifinal hockey match between India and Pakistan, at the ongoing 20th Asian Games, in Kakamigahara, Japan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. | Photo: PTI/Atul Yadav
India's Abhishek, 5, celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during a men's semifinal hockey match between India and Pakistan, at the ongoing 20th Asian Games, in Kakamigahara, Japan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. | Photo: PTI/Atul Yadav
India's Sukhjeet Singh, right, vies for ball control with Pakistan's Ahmad Nadeem during the men's hockey semi-final match between India and Pakistan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, in Kakamigahara, Japan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. | Photo: PTI/Atul Yadav
India's Rajinder Singh, in red, carries the ball during a men's semifinal hockey match between India and Pakistan, at the ongoing 20th Asian Games, in Kakamigahara, Japan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. | Photo: PTI/Atul Yadav
India's Vivek Sagar Prasad, right, jostles for possession of the ball with Pakistan's Rehman Abdul during the men's hockey semi-final match between India and Pakistan at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, in Kakamigahara, Japan, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. | Photo: PTI/Atul Yadav
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