Amsterdam: India kicked off their campaign in the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 with a convincing 3-1 win over Wales at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands, on Saturday.
All Indian goals came from drag flicks, as the new-look men in Orange converted three of the five penalty corners they earned in the Pool D fixture.
It was young defender Sanjay Rana who handed India the lead eight minutes into the match. Three minutes later, skipper Harmanpreet Singh doubled India’s advantage.
India went into half-time with a 2-0 cushion. Eight minutes into the third quarter, the prolific Harmanpreet sounded the boards again with a stinging hit.
Wales, playing only their second World Cup, pulled one back with four minutes left on the clock.
India will face England on August 17 and arch-rivals Pakistan on August 19. The top two teams from each of the four pools will advance to the second phase.
