India beat Pakistan 4-3 after Abhishek’s last-gasp strike to reach Asian Games final
India defeated Pakistan 4-3 in the first men’s hockey semi-final of the Asian Games 2026 in Kakamigahara on October 1, with Abhishek scoring the decisive goal with 49.2 seconds remaining to send the defending champions into the final. India will face the winner of the second semi-final between Malaysia and South Korea in the gold-medal match on October 3.
India established a 3-0 lead through Harmanpreet Singh’s penalty-corner strikes in the 5th and 13th minutes and a 23rd-minute field goal from Sukhjeet Singh, while Pakistan responded with goals from Abu Mahmood (30th), Hannan Shahid (45th) and Waheed Ashraf Rana (49th) to level the match. The game also marked Mandeep Singh’s 300th senior international appearance, and India made one enforced change to the squad with Nilakanta Sharma replacing Raj Kumar Pal after Pal fractured his thumb in the pool match against Bangladesh.
India dominated possession early and created several penalty-corner opportunities; after two initial attempts were kept out and a video referral produced another set-piece, Harmanpreet’s flick was palmed by Pakistan goalkeeper Ali Raza before India opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a flick through Raza’s legs. Pakistan’s Muhammed Ammad had an early shot saved by Indian goalkeeper Suraj Karkera, and India’s pressure continued to create chances inside the opening quarter.
A Dilpreet Singh effort that appeared to find the net from a Vivek Sagar Prasad delivery was ruled out for an infringement, but India converted another corner in the 13th minute when Harmanpreet sent a low flick into the backboard. Shilanand Lakra’s baseline play set up Sukhjeet Singh’s 23rd-minute finish to make it 3-0, and Pakistan’s late first-quarter penalty corner—earned after a referral—saw Sufiyan Khan’s attempt strike rusher Amit Rohidas and fail to reduce the deficit.
Pakistan began their recovery before half-time and into the second half, with Abu Mahmood cutting the lead to 3-1 in the 30th minute. India goalkeeper Suraj made a notable save in the 38th minute, and Pakistan’s Ammad Butt received a yellow card, but India’s Abhishek struck the post in the 40th minute. Hannan Shahid converted from a scramble in the 45th minute and Waheed Ashraf Rana finished in the 49th to complete a 3-3 comeback, at which point India substituted Mohith HS with Suraj as goalkeeper.
The closing stages were tense: Pakistan earned a penalty corner in the 54th minute but India’s defence executed an effective first-rush to prevent a shot on goal, and Manpreet Singh made a key tackle in the 58th minute. With just over a minute remaining India were awarded a penalty corner that was overturned to a free hit after a Pakistan referral; Ali Raza then made successive saves before Abhishek pushed a ball from the edge of the circle whose deflection off Sufiyan Khan’s stick beat the goalkeeper and hit the backboard with 49.2 seconds left.
India’s 4-3 victory sends the defending champions into the Asian Games final on October 3, where they will meet the winner of Malaysia versus South Korea; a win there would secure India the title they are defending.