Asian Games 2026 | India edge out Pakistan in a thriller, reaches men's hockey final

Riding on skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's two-goal effort, the Indian hockey team beat archrivals Paksitan 4-3 in a thrilling semifinal to enter the final of the Asian Games at Kakamigahara (Japan) on Thursday (October 1).

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Concise summary of key highlights

Asian Games 2026 | India enter hockey final after beating Pakistan 4-3

In one line

India's men's and women's hockey teams reached the Asian Games finals after crucial victories against Pakistan and South Korea.

Key highlights

• Thrilling Men Semifinal Victory

India defeated archrivals Pakistan 4-3 in a tense semifinal match in Kakamigahara, featuring goals from Harmanpreet Kaur, Sukhjeet Singh, and a last-minute winner by Abhishek.

• Women Reach Final Too

The Indian women's hockey team also advanced to the final by securing a 2-0 victory against South Korea.

• Olympic Qualification Stakes

Winning the gold medal at the Asian Games provides direct qualification for the upcoming LA Olympics, raising the stakes for both teams.

• Unbeaten Tournament Run

Following a disappointing World Cup campaign, the Indian teams have enjoyed a strong, unbeaten run throughout the Asian Games pool matches.

Key statistics

4-3

Men semifinal score

2-0

Women semifinal score

October 1

Match date

Processed with AI. Reviewed by DH Digital Team.

In the final, India will take on the winner of the the other last-four encounter between Malaysia and South Korea.

!

India beat Pakistan 4-3, thanks to a last-minute goal in a nail-biting Asian Games 2026 semi-final, to book a place in the final and keep their title defence alive! ⚡

The Indian Men’s Team now stand just one win away… pic.twitter.com/J8vmZzR8K1

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) October 1, 2026

Harmanpreet converted two perfectly executed penalty corners in the 5th and 13th minutes, while Sukhjeet Singh scored a field goal in the 23rd minute. Abhishek scored the winning goal for India from a field play in the final minute of the game.

Pakistan's goals were scored by Abu Mahmood (30th minute), Hannan Shahid (45th) and Waheed Rana (49th).

Asian Games 2026 | Indian women’s hockey team defeats South Korea 2-0 to reach final

The women's team has also reached the final following their 2-0 win over South Korea.

With the gold medallist of Asiad will directly qualify for the LA Olympics, India will be in no mood to let go that chance.

After a disappointing World Cup campaign earlier this year where they finished a lowly seventh, India have enjoyed an unbeaten run in the Asian Games so far and finished at the top of the Pool A with five wins from as many matches.

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.

The win against Pakistan in the semifinal has taken India to one step closer to their first successful defence of the Asian Games gold medal.

(With Hockey India Media inputs)