Asian Games 2026: India look to extend hockey dominance over Pakistan in semi-final clash; Rajkumar Pal ruled out
(Courtesy : Asian Hockey Federation)
India haven’t lost to Pakistan since 2016 and are two wins away from retaining gold
The Indian men’s hockey team will renew one of international hockey’s fiercest rivalries when the defending champions take on Pakistan in the first semi-final of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 in Japan on Thursday, with a place in the gold-medal match at stake.
The second semi-final will be played between Malaysia and South Korea.
India have been unbeaten in the tournament so far, finishing at the top of Pool A with five wins from five matches.
Also Read: Hockey at Asian Games 2026: Full schedule, fixtures, results, live streaming details
Their campaign began with a 13-1 victory over Indonesia, followed by a 16-1 win against Sri Lanka. India then produced an 8-2 result against South Korea before overcoming hosts Japan 2-0 in what proved to be their toughest pool-stage contest.
The scoreline in the win over the South Korean team was India’s best against them in the Asian Games history. India signed off the group phase with a commanding 10-0 win over Bangladesh.
While India have been clinical across the tournament, their attacking unit has also found its rhythm at the right time. Striker Dilpreet Singh has been among the leading scorers with nine goals, putting him joint second on the tournament’s scoring chart.
His fellow forward Abhishek and captain Harmanpreet Singh have eight goals each, with Harmanpreet’s drag-flicks continuing to be a force to reckon with on penalty corners.
Pakistan, meanwhile, had been on course to finish top of Pool B and potentially meet India in the final, but a narrow 4-5 defeat to Malaysia pushed them into second place and set up Thursday’s much-anticipated semi-final.
Related: Hockey: India vs Pakistan head-to-head record
In their other pool matches, Pakistan registered wins over Thailand (9-0), Uzbekistan (5-1), China (3-0) and Oman (7-2).
Pakistan’s scoring hopes will be led by drag-flick specialist Sufiyan Khan, who has been prolific from penalty-corner situations and currently tops the tournament scoring charts with 11 goals.
His battle with India’s Harmanpreet could become one of the defining aspects of the contest, with both sides aware that conceding penalty corners could prove costly.
RELATED: When & where will India vs Pakistan men’s hockey semi-final take place? Asian Games 2026
Rajkumar Pal out injured, Nilakanta Sharma comes in
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India will be without midfielder Rajkumar Pal, who has been ruled out after sustaining a left thumb fracture during the team’s last pool match against Bangladesh.
Travelling reserve Nilakanta Sharma has been brought into the squad as his replacement, adding another experienced option to India’s midfield ahead of the high-pressure encounter.
“It’s just unfortunate for Raj. At the same time, we have great experience that’s coming in. Nilakanta has been at the Olympics and World Cup. So, it’s a nice addition in terms of an experienced player coming in at an important time,” said the team’s chief coach, Craig Fulton.
The Thursday weather forecast for Kakamigahara is sunny, unlike incessant rain at the start of this week.
Beyond the form and numbers, Thursday’s contest carries the weight of a rivalry that has produced countless memorable moments over the years.
India have not lost to Pakistan since the 2016 South Asian Games final, and the defending champions will look to extend that unbeaten run in another major tournament encounter.
Related: Hockey: India vs Pakistan last five meetings
“In tournament hockey, all roads lead to this point. Semi-finals are games of consequence, so it’s exciting,” Fulton added.
“We’ll fine-tune all that we have to for penalty-corner attack, penalty-corner defence and whatever else we are focusing on. But the main thing is it’s about us. It’s about putting our game plan in. We’ve had five good games and got good momentum going into this (semi-final).”
With both teams now just one victory away from the Asian Games final, there will be little room for error. India will look to combine their attacking firepower with defensive discipline, while Pakistan will aim to make their penalty-corner opportunities count.
For India, a win would not only secure a place in the final but also take them one step closer to their first successful defence of the Asian Games gold medal.
Where and when will India vs Pakistan, men’s hockey semi-final match take place at Asian Games 2026?
India will face Pakistan in the first semi-final at Kakamigahara, Japan, on October 1 (Thursday). The winner reaches the gold-medal match.
Why will India midfielder Rajkumar Pal miss the India vs Pakistan, men’s hockey semi-final match?
Rajkumar Pal has been ruled out of the clash after sustaining a left thumb fracture during the team’s last pool match against Bangladesh. Travelling reserve Nilakanta Sharma has replaced him in team.
Who are the top scorers at the Asian Games 2026 hockey tournament?
Pakistan’s Sufiyan Khan tops the chart with 11 goals. India’s Dilpreet Singh has nine and is joint second, while Abhishek and captain Harmanpreet Singh have eight each.
What is India’s head-to-head against Pakistan in men’s hockey?
They have clashed 184 times in hockey history, with Pakistan leading with 82 wins while India have won 70 times. 32 matches ended in a draw.
What happened in the last five India vs Pakistan meetings in men’s hockey?
India have won each of their last meetings against Pakistan, with the latest being a 5-3 victory at the Men’s Hockey World Cup.
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