India defeated Pakistan 4-3 in a thrilling FIH Pro League encounter at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre on Tuesday, securing a hard-fought victory after overcoming an early deficit.
Goals from Abhishek, Nilakanta Sharma, Sukhjeet Singh, and Rajinder Singh powered India to their third win of the tournament, while Pakistan’s spirited late comeback fell just short.
Pakistan Make Bright Start
Pakistan took the lead in the 8th minute after earning consecutive penalty corners.
Ahmad Nadeem converted the opportunity to give the Green Shirts an early 1-0 advantage.
India responded strongly, winning five penalty corners before halftime, but Pakistan goalkeeper Ali Raza produced a series of outstanding saves to preserve his side’s lead going into the second quarter.
India Turn the Match Around
India eventually found the equaliser in the 22nd minute, when Abhishek scored a superb field goal.
Just one minute later, Nilakanta Sharma completed the comeback with another field goal to hand India a 2-1 lead, which they carried into halftime.
India Extend Their Advantage
India continued to dominate possession after the break and increased their lead in the 40th minute, with Sukhjeet Singh finishing confidently after evading Pakistan goalkeeper Ali Raza.
Early in the final quarter, Rajinder Singh converted a penalty corner to make it 4-1, putting India firmly in control.
Pakistan Fight Until the End
Pakistan refused to give up and responded immediately through Abu Bakar Mahmood, who converted a penalty corner to reduce the deficit to 4-2.
In the closing moments, Pakistan earned another penalty corner after a foul in the final minute.
Moin Shakeel successfully converted the chance, making the final score 4-3, but India held on to claim victory.
Tournament Standings
The win lifted India to seventh place in the nine-team FIH Pro League standings with 13 points, overtaking Spain, who have two fewer points with a match in hand.
For Pakistan, the defeat marked a 13th consecutive loss in the competition.
The Green Shirts remain bottom of the table with zero points, and the result officially confirms their relegation from the FIH Pro League.
Match Summary
India 4-3 Pakistan
Pakistan Goals:
- Ahmad Nadeem (8′)
- Abu Bakar Mahmood (53′)
- Moin Shakeel (60′)
India Goals:
- Abhishek (22′)
- Nilakanta Sharma (23′)
- Sukhjeet Singh (40′)
- Rajinder Singh (52′)
