India secures 3-1 victory over Wales in World Cup.

India launched their FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2026 campaign with a confident 3-1 victory against Wales on Saturday. Playing their opening Pool D match at Wagener Stadium in the Netherlands, the team dominated the first half to secure three crucial points.

Sanjay and Captain Harmanpreet Singh gave India an early advantage by converting two precise penalty corners during the first quarter. Sanjay found the back of the net in the eighth minute to open the scoring. Harmanpreet doubled this lead just three minutes later with another powerful strike. India maintained strict control over the game proceedings after the halftime break. Harmanpreet scored his second goal of the match in the 43rd minute to make it 3-0. This strong start builds on India's recent international momentum, including two consecutive Olympic bronze medals and an Asian Champions Trophy victory.

Chasing Long Awaited World Cup Glory

Wales eventually managed to break through the Indian defensive line late in the game. Sam Welsh scored in the 55th minute following a messy scramble inside the striking circle. However, Indian defenders stayed firm for the remaining minutes to close out the match successfully. India now sits at the top of Pool D, which also features England and arch-rivals Pakistan. The team next faces England on August 17. Looking to improve on their ninth-place finish in 2023, the players are eager to bring gold home. They hope to end a 51-year championship drought stretching back to their lone World Cup victory in 1975. Before the match, Harmanpreet emphasised that his squad is highly determined to win the tournament. He noted that this event represents a major opportunity, especially for the veteran players on the roster. He stated that the team is ready to give everything because the future remains uncertain for several senior members after this competition concludes.