India came out aggressively and immediately put Pakistan’s defence under pressure. Harmanpreet Singh opened the scoring in the fifth minute by converting a penalty corner, giving India an early advantage.
The Indian captain then struck again in the 13th minute from another penalty corner. His second goal put India 2-0 ahead and gave the team a strong platform in the opening stages of the semifinal.
India continued to control the tempo and created further opportunities inside the circle. Sukhjeet Singh eventually extended the lead with a field goal in the 23rd minute, putting India 3-0 ahead.
ABSOLUTE CINEMA! INDIA BEAT PAKISTAN 4-3 TO REACH THE FINAL! 🇮🇳🔥👑
INDIA HAD THE 3–0 LEAD.
PAKISTAN TOOK IT TO 3–3.
THEN ABHISHEK BROKE THEIR HEARTS.
What a finish in Aichi-Nagoya!
India were cruising.
Pakistan refused to stay down.Three goals became two.
Two became one.
And… pic.twitter.com/UuRasMM2KG— Anil Bansal (@dilseanilbansal) October 1, 2026
Pakistan did manage to respond before half-time, reducing the deficit and ensuring that India did not enter the second half with complete control of the contest.
The second half saw a dramatic shift in momentum. Pakistan increased the pressure and began finding openings in the Indian defence.
Two further goals brought Pakistan level at 3-3, transforming what had appeared to be a comfortable Indian victory into a tense battle for a place in the final. With the scores tied, both sides pushed forward while also trying to avoid conceding a decisive goal.
India were forced to withstand sustained pressure in the closing stages. The contest remained finely balanced until the final minute, with the next goal set to determine which team would advance to the gold-medal match.
Abhishek delivers late winner
Just when the semifinal appeared destined for an even more dramatic conclusion, Abhishek produced the decisive moment.
The Indian forward found the net from open play in the final minute, restoring India’s lead at 4-3. Reports put the winning strike at less than a minute before the final whistle.
Pakistan pushed for another equaliser but India held firm. The final whistle confirmed a 4-3 victory and booked India’s place in the Asian Games men’s hockey final.
India one win away from gold
The result keeps India’s title defence alive and guarantees the team at least a silver medal. India will face the winner of the other men’s semifinal between South Korea and Malaysia in the gold-medal match on Saturday.
For India, the victory also extends an impressive run at the tournament. The team had entered the semifinal after finishing top of Pool A with five wins from five matches, including a 10-0 victory over Bangladesh in their final pool game.
The 4-3 result against Pakistan, however, was a very different test. After building a three-goal cushion, India had to withstand Pakistan’s comeback before producing one final attacking moment that settled one of the most closely followed hockey encounters at the Asian Games.
With the final now secured, India have one more match to complete their campaign and compete for the men’s hockey gold medal.
