India seeks momentum against winless Pakistan in FIH Pro League London opener

India will face Pakistan in the opening match of the FIH Pro League's London leg on Tuesday at 7 p.m. IST at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, marking the first encounter between the rivals since India's 2-1 victory at the 2024 Asian Champions Trophy in Hulunbuir, China.

India enters the fixture in improved form after a strong showing in the Rotterdam leg, where they won two of four matches including an impressive 3-2 victory over world No. 2 the Netherlands and a 3-1 triumph against reigning world champion Germany. However, their campaign began poorly with no wins in the home leg where they conceded 19 goals. Overall, India currently sits eighth in the nine-team standings with 10 points from 12 matches—two wins, seven losses and three draws. Coach Craig Fulton's side will complete their league campaign with two additional matches against Pakistan and two more against hosts England.

Pakistan arrives in dire straits, having lost all 12 of their Pro League matches and sitting bottom of the table with zero points. The team suffered four consecutive defeats in the Belgian leg against Spain and Belgium, conceding 22 goals while scoring just four. At this rate, Pakistan faces likely relegation to the FIH Nations League and will need to win nearly all remaining matches to avoid demotion. The squad's preparations have been further complicated by visa issues affecting captain Ammad Shakeel Butt and reportedly head coach Manzur-ul-Hasan.

India's recent form has centred on strong penalty corner conversions by Harmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh and Rajinder Singh, solid midfield play led by Manpreet Singh and Hardik Singh, and improved defensive organisation—though Craig Fulton will demand greater discipline after India nearly surrendered a 3-1 lead against the Netherlands late in their previous match. Pakistan will seek their first points of the season while India aim to maintain momentum ahead of this year's FIH World Cup and Asian Games, which also serves as an Olympic qualifier.