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India open Hockey World Cup campaign with 3-1 win over Wales as Harmanpreet Singh scores twice
India began their Hockey World Cup campaign with a 3-1 win over Wales as Harmanpreet Singh struck twice, helping his side make a confident start in Amstelveen.
India made a winning start to their FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup 2026 campaign as captain Harmanpreet Singh struck twice in a 3-1 victory over Wales at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen. Sanjay Rana opened the scoring before Harmanpreet converted two penalty corners as India’s set-piece strength proved decisive in their Pool D opener. Sam Welsh scored a late consolation for Wales, denying India a clean sheet but doing little to threaten a result that had largely been settled by the end of the third quarter.
Playing on India’s Independence Day and beginning another attempt to end a 51-year wait for a second World Cup title, Craig Fulton’s team wasted little time in establishing control. Wales actually produced the first dangerous moment of the contest, forcing goalkeeper Suraj Karkera into action, but India quickly settled and began pushing their opponents deeper.
The breakthrough arrived in the eighth minute. With Harmanpreet temporarily off the field, Sanjay assumed drag-flicking duties and converted India’s second penalty corner. It was a memorable moment for the 25-year-old defender, who marked his first World Cup appearance with a goal. Only three minutes later, India doubled their advantage. Harmanpreet returned and demonstrated why he remains their foremost penalty-corner weapon, beating Wales goalkeeper Toby Reynolds-Cotterill with a powerful drag-flick to make it 2-0.
Wales fight back, Harmanpreet shuts the door
Wales were far more organised in the second quarter and created their best opening of the first half when Jack Pritchard rounded goalkeeper Mohith HS, who had replaced Karkera after the first quarter, but could not finish from the angle. India continued to create opportunities themselves, with Abhishek hitting the side-netting and Rajinder Singh sending an effort narrowly wide before half-time. The third quarter followed a similar pattern. India enjoyed the greater territorial control without overwhelming Wales, whose disciplined defensive shape kept the deficit at two for much of the period.
Their resistance was finally broken when Welsh captain Jacob Draper conceded another penalty corner late in the quarter. Harmanpreet stepped forward again and produced another clinical drag-flick for his second goal, stretching India’s advantage to 3-0. India continued searching for a fourth in the final quarter, but Reynolds-Cotterill produced an excellent save while Mohith was also called upon at the other end, making a sharp diving stop from a Welsh penalty corner.
Wales eventually found a way through late on, with Sam Welsh awarded the goal following a video review after the ball had crossed the line during a crowded passage of play. The goal removed some gloss from India’s performance, but not the win. More significantly, Harmanpreet and his teammates have avoided the sort of opening-match complication that can transform a short World Cup pool stage. A considerably sterner examination now awaits against world No.3 England in India’s second Pool D fixture.
