India delivered a commanding performance against Pakistan, registering a massive 7-1 victory in their second FIH Pro League encounter at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London on Friday.
After edging Pakistan 4-3 in their first meeting earlier in the tournament, India returned with an even stronger display to secure back-to-back wins over their long-time rivals.
Pakistan made a bright start and stunned India by taking the lead in the 13th minute. Abu Bakar Mahmood successfully converted a penalty corner, giving Pakistan early momentum and raising hopes of a competitive contest.
India quickly responded with determination. Sukhjeet Singh scored the equalizer in the 20th minute, shifting the momentum in India’s favor. Just five minutes later, captain Harmanpreet Singh converted another penalty corner to hand India a 2-1 lead before halftime.
The third quarter completely belonged to India as they dominated both possession and attack. Hardik Singh, Jugraj Singh, Abhishek, and Raj Kumar all found the back of the net, extending India’s advantage to an impressive 6-1 and leaving Pakistan struggling to recover.
India continued their attacking display in the final quarter when Dilpreet Singh added another goal through a penalty corner, completing a convincing 7-1 victory. Pakistan failed to create meaningful opportunities as India’s defense comfortably protected their lead until the final whistle.
The win marked India’s fourth victory in the ongoing FIH Pro League, lifting them to seventh place in the standings with 17 points. The result also pushed Spain down to eighth position, although Spain still had a match in hand.
For Pakistan, the defeat extended a disappointing run in the competition. They remain at the bottom of the FIH Pro League table without a single point after suffering their 14th consecutive defeat, highlighting the team’s ongoing struggles at the international level.
