India Beat Pakistan 4-3 in FIH Pro League 2025-26 Encounter
India's Men's Hockey Team secured a thrilling 4-3 victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in their historic first-ever FIH Hockey Pro League 2025-26 encounter today, June 23, 2026, at the Lee Valley Hockey Stadium in London. Goals from Abhishek, Nilakanta Sharma, Sukhjeet Singh, and Rajinder Singh powered India to a hard-fought win, extending their decade-long.
The storied rivalry between India and Pakistan on the hockey field added another thrilling chapter as the Indian Men's Hockey Team edged out Pakistan 4-3 in a high-octane FIH Hockey Pro League 2025-26 clash. Played at the Lee Valley Hockey Stadium, the match saw India survive a late fightback to claim all three points and continue their dominance over their neighbours.
The game delivered a captivating spectacle that lived up to its billing. This encounter marked the first time these two iconic teams have faced each other in the FIH Pro League, adding significant historical weight to the result.
IND vs PAK Hockey Match Highlights
Pakistan, despite their difficult Pro League campaign, started brightly and took a surprising lead in the eighth minute through Ahmad Nadeem from a penalty corner. However, India quickly asserted control in the second quarter. Abhishek restored parity in the 23rd minute, followed swiftly by Nilakanta Sharma finding the net in the 24th minute to give India a 2-1 lead heading into halftime.
The Men in Blue continued their offensive pressure in the third quarter, with Sukhjeet Singh extending India's advantage to 3-1 in the 40th minute. Rajinder Singh seemingly put the result beyond doubt in the 52nd minute, converting a penalty corner to make it 4-1.
However, Pakistan refused to capitulate. Abu Bakar Mahmood pulled one back in the 53rd minute, and Moin Shakeel scored a dramatic third goal in the 60th minute of play, making for a tense finish as India clung to their narrow 4-3 lead until the final whistle.
Key Match Statistics
| Statistic | India | Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 4 | 3 |
| Goal Scorers | Abhishek, Nilakanta Sharma, Sukhjeet Singh, Rajinder Singh | Ahmad Nadeem, Abu Bakar Mahmood, Moin Shakeel |
| Half-Time Score | 2-1 | |
| Competition | FIH Hockey Pro League 2025-26 | |
| Venue | Lee Valley Hockey Stadium, London, UK | |
| Date | June 23, 2026 (Tuesday) |
IND vs PAK Form and Rivalry Context
This victory marks India's third win in the current FIH Pro League season. The Harmanpreet Singh-led side came into this match with confidence, having recently secured a morale-boosting 3-2 win over the Netherlands and a victory against world No. 1 Germany in the Rotterdam leg. India now sits in seventh place in the points table with 15 points, moving past Spain.
Conversely, Pakistan's maiden FIH Pro League campaign has been challenging. They remain at the bottom of the nine-team standings, having lost all 12 of their matches so far, conceding 59 goals prior to this game. Pakistan was also without their regular captain Ammad Shakeel Butt due to visa issues, with Abu Bakar Mahmood and Sufyan Khan leading the side.
Historically, Pakistan still holds an overall head-to-head advantage with 82 wins against India's 67 in 181 international meetings, alongside 32 draws. However, India has maintained a remarkable unbeaten streak against Pakistan for the past decade, having won 16 and drawn two of their last 18 encounters since 2016.
India and Pakistan are scheduled to meet again on June 26 in the second leg of their London fixtures, promising another thrilling contest as both teams continue their Pro League journey.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 23, 2026 09:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
