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India Renews Fierce Hockey Rivalry Against Pakistan in Asiad Semis for Olympic Berth
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News18•30-09-2026, 13:45
India Renews Fierce Hockey Rivalry Against Pakistan in Asiad Semis for Olympic Berth
- •Defending champions India face Pakistan in the Asian Games semifinal, aiming for a direct ticket to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
- •India has maintained an unbeaten run in the tournament, topping Pool A with five wins, including dominant victories over Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
- •Striker Dilpreet Singh leads India's scoring with nine goals, while captain Harmanpreet Singh and Abhishek each have eight goals.
- •India will be without midfielder Raj Kumar Pal due to a thumb fracture; Nilakanta Sharma will replace him.
- •Pakistan, after a narrow loss to Malaysia, finished second in Pool B, setting up the highly anticipated clash; Sufiyan Khan leads their scoring with 11 goals.
Key Questions Answered
The gold medallist of the Asian Games will secure a direct ticket and automatic qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
India finished at the top of Pool A with an unbeaten run of five wins from five matches, including victories against Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Japan, and Bangladesh, accumulating a goal difference of +45.
Travelling reserve Nilakanta Sharma replaced midfielder Raj Kumar Pal, who was ruled out of the squad after sustaining a left thumb fracture during India's final pool match.
