India Thrash Pakistan 7-1 in FIH Hockey Pro League as Seven Different Stars Shine in London
The Indian men's hockey team delivered one of its most emphatic victories over arch-rivals Pakistan in recent years, storming to a 7-1 win in the reverse fixture of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2025-26 at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London on Friday.
After conceding the opening goal late in the first quarter, India responded with an outstanding attacking display to score seven unanswered goals through Sukhjeet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Jugraj Singh, Abhishek, Raj Kumar Pal and Dilpreet Singh. Midfielder Hardik Singh was deservedly named the Player of the Match after controlling proceedings in midfield and contributing a goal during India's dominant second-half performance.
The comprehensive victory earned India all three points and showcased the team's depth, attacking quality and defensive discipline.
Both teams approached the contest with intensity from the opening whistle. India created the first major opportunity within the opening two minutes when Mandeep Singh's sharp run along the baseline earned the Men in Blue an early penalty corner. Although India enjoyed more possession during the early exchanges, Pakistan remained dangerous on the counterattack.
Their breakthrough came in the 13th minute. After winning a penalty corner and successfully retaining the decision following a video referral, Pakistan captain Abu Bakar Mahmood converted a powerful drag-flick to hand his side a 1-0 lead at the end of the opening quarter.
Despite falling behind, India remained composed and continued to execute its attacking plans.
The momentum shifted completely during the second quarter. India began using long aerial passes and quick switches of play to stretch Pakistan's defensive structure, creating more space inside the attacking circle. Pakistan suffered a setback in the 18th minute when defender Ahmad Nadeem was accidentally struck in the face by a deflected pass from teammate Ali Ghazanfar, forcing him to leave the field.
India immediately capitalised.
A minute later, Harmanpreet Singh's powerful drag-flick from a penalty corner was expertly deflected into the goal by Sukhjeet Singh, bringing India level at 1-1. The equaliser energised the Indian side, and they continued pressing forward. In the 26th minute, India earned another penalty corner. This time, captain Harmanpreet Singh took matters into his own hands, unleashing a fierce drag-flick into the top-left corner to give India a 2-1 lead heading into the half-time break.
India emerged after the interval with even greater intensity. Their pressure paid off in the 34th minute when consecutive penalty corners eventually resulted in a penalty stroke. Hardik Singh stepped forward confidently and converted to extend India's advantage to 3-1.
Pakistan attempted to respond by earning two penalty corners of their own, but India's defence stood firm, making crucial blocks to deny both opportunities.
Immediately after the second defensive stop, India launched a devastating counterattack. Dilpreet Singh carried the ball forward before combining brilliantly with Sukhjeet Singh, who found Jugraj Singh in space. Jugraj finished emphatically in the 35th minute, giving India a commanding 4-1 lead.
The attacking onslaught continued. Sukhjeet once again turned provider in the 41st minute, setting up Abhishek, who finished confidently while on the run to score India's fifth goal.
Late in the third quarter, India earned four consecutive penalty corners. Although Pakistan survived the initial attempts, Raj Kumar Pal reacted quickest to the rebound from Harmanpreet's drag-flick to make it 6-1 in the 44th minute.
By the end of the third quarter, India had completely dismantled the Pakistani defence.
The final quarter saw India maintain complete control of the contest. With a comfortable lead already established, the Men in Blue continued to attack while remaining disciplined at the back. Their seventh goal arrived in the 54th minute, when Dilpreet Singh capped off another flowing attacking move with a clinical finish to complete the scoring.
Pakistan earned two late penalty corners in an attempt to reduce the margin, but veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh produced outstanding defensive work, blocking both attempts and ensuring India closed the match in dominant fashion.
The final whistle confirmed an emphatic 7-1 victory, one of India's biggest wins over Pakistan in recent years.
While seven different players found the scoresheet, the victory was built on a collective performance. Hardik Singh controlled the midfield with intelligence and composure, linking defence with attack while also converting his penalty stroke. Harmanpreet Singh once again demonstrated why he remains one of the world's finest drag-flick specialists, contributing both a goal and an assist from penalty corners.
Sukhjeet Singh was another standout performer, scoring once and creating two more goals with intelligent movement and precise passing.
India's defence also deserves significant credit, restricting Pakistan's opportunities after the opening goal and successfully defending multiple penalty corners during crucial phases of the match.
The commanding victory provides India with valuable momentum as the FIH Hockey Pro League season enters a crucial phase. More importantly, it showcased the team's attacking depth, with goals coming from across the field rather than relying on a single player. The ability to recover from conceding early and respond with seven unanswered goals highlights the confidence and maturity of the current squad.
For head coach Craig Fulton, the performance offered plenty of positives—from efficient penalty corner conversion to disciplined defending and clinical finishing.
As India continues its Pro League campaign, this comprehensive victory over Pakistan will undoubtedly rank among the team's most complete performances of the season, reinforcing its credentials as one of the strongest contenders in world hockey.
Photo Credit: FIH
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