India face Pakistan in Asian Games hockey semifinal in Gifu

India's men's hockey team will meet Pakistan in the Asian Games semifinal in Gifu on Thursday, October 1, 2026, having scored 49 goals and annihilated all opposition so far in the competition.

At stake for the defending champion is a place in the final, a step away from a ticket to the Olympics, and the defence of its title and reputation as the best team on the continent.

India's recent World Cup performance — a finish in eighth place despite remaining the highest-ranked Asian side — has prompted questions about the team's quality and temperament on the big stage and has put several senior players under scrutiny.

All those questions can be brushed aside if India gets past arch-rival Pakistan in a fixture that, while it has lost much of its edge over the past decade, still carries emotional value for supporters on both sides.

Pakistan's main threat is Sufyan Khan, who leads the goal-scoring charts with 11; he scored all four goals (out of seven PCs) in Pakistan’s narrow 5-4 loss to Malaysia, which was Pakistan’s only defeat in the pool stage courtesy Malaysia’s winner in the 57th minute.

India's scoring has been more spread out, with Dilpreet, Abhishek and Harmanpreet all among the tournament's top five scorers, and the attack has performed as expected.

The match will test India’s defence for the first time in the competition; on paper the Indians appear favourites, but the team has reasons to be cautious.

The semifinal in Gifu on October 1 will determine who advances to the final and who moves a step closer to securing an Olympic ticket.