India’s three players to watch vs Pakistan in Asian Games 2026 semi-final
India will face Pakistan in the men’s hockey semi-final at the Asian Games in Kakamigahara, Japan on October 1, with the winner securing an early berth to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The fixture renews a long rivalry: the sides have met 184 times since the 1956 Melbourne Olympics final, with Pakistan leading the overall record 82 wins to India’s 70 and 32 matches drawn. India have already beaten Pakistan three times this year — twice in the FIH Pro League in London and once at the World Cup.
India’s tournament form has been prolific: they have scored 49 goals in five matches while conceding four, and topped their pool with five wins from five. Pakistan finished second in Pool B, winning four and losing to Malaysia.
Dilpreet leads India’s scoring with nine goals and has achieved that tally without being the team’s penalty-corner specialist. Goals from open play are noted in the squad’s output: a defence can prepare for a drag-flick, but it is harder to plan for forwards who find space, and India’s goals have come from across the lineup.
Abhishek has eight goals, level with the captain. India will be without midfielder Raj Kumar Pal after he fractured his left thumb in the final pool match; his replacement is Nilakanta Sharma, who Fulton called "a nice addition." India’s coach Craig Fulton described semi-finals as "games of consequence,".
A penalty corner is hockey’s version of a set piece awarded for certain fouls inside the defending circle; such moments can decide matches and tournaments. Harmanpreet Singh is India’s penalty-corner specialist — his "drag-flick" is a low, sweeping shot struck with so much force that goalkeepers and defenders barely see it — and he has eight goals in the tournament. Pakistan’s top player Sufiyan Khan is described in the same vein, turning this into an individual duel alongside the team contest.
The men’s hockey semi-final is scheduled for October 1 at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Kakamigahara, Japan, with a 4:30 pm local start (1:00 PM IST). Viewers in India can watch the match live on the Sony Sports Ten Network or stream it on SonyLIV with a subscription.
