India silence Pakistan in Hockey World Cup; Harmanpreet, Abhishek score braces

Skipper Harmanpreet Singh and striker Abhishek scored a brace each as India extended their decade-long unbeaten run against arch-rivals Pakistan with a 5-3 victory in their Hockey World Cup Pool D match on Thursday.

The win took India into the second round, while Pakistan's defeat brought their campaign to an end.

Playing their first World Cup in eight years, four-time champions Pakistan fought back after falling three goals behind, but India held their nerve to secure a memorable victory in front of a packed 10,000-capacity Wagener Stadium.

Harmanpreet (5th, 21st) converted two penalty corners, while Abhishek (11th, 24th) scored two superb field goals. Hardik Singh (34th) added India's fifth from a penalty stroke.

Hannan Shahid (22nd, 46th) scored twice for Pakistan, while Sufyan Khan (24th) converted a penalty corner for their other goal.

The result saw India and England progress to the second round from Pool D. India, however, will carry no points into the next stage after losing to England in their opening match.

The fiercely contested encounter was the first World Cup meeting between the two sides in 16 years. India had defeated Pakistan 4-1 in the 2010 edition in New Delhi. The latest victory also extended India's unbeaten run against Pakistan to a decade. Pakistan's last win over India came in the 2016 South Asian Games in Guwahati.

The two sides had previously met at the Wagener Stadium during the 1973 World Cup, when India edged Pakistan 1-0 in the semifinal before losing the final to hosts the Netherlands in a penalty shootout.
(With PTI inputs)