India 3-2 Australia, Paris Olympics Highlights: Harmanpreet's Double Strike Hands IND First Games Win In 52 Years

India's last Pool B match, against traditional hockey heavyweights Australia, will start at 4:45pm IST. A win today will go a long way in strengthening India's claim for a medal at Paris 2024. (Streaming | Medal Table | Schedule & Results)

The Aussies expectedly have the upper hand in this match-up. They have won all five of the two teams' latest clashes. Overall, in 144 meetings, the Kookaburras have won 97, while India hav🧔e emerged victors on 24 occasions and 23 games have ended in draws.

The players⛎ from both teams are out on the pitch, and the national anthems are underwa💛y before the start of the game. First Australia's, then India's.

We have the pushback, and play begins. India had scored a field goal in the 18t꧟h minute against Belgium, and are eyeing an early strike against the Aussies too.

A lovely, long aerial pass from Harmanpreet to Mandeep Singh, who takes it down neatly and tries to inch closer to the goal. But he is intercepted inside the ci🦹rcle by the Kookaburra defence, and the ball is cleared.

Another promising move from India in the very next minute. Jarmanpreet passes it to Lalit to tap or deflect it in, but a timely block from Harvie saཧves Australia again.

Jarmanpreet gets a warning for not obeying the 5m aerial ball rule. "If you do that one more time, you wil♏l be out," the umpire audibly tells him.

Australia earn their first penalty corner, but not before Sreejesh thwarts their field goa🍨l attempt with a superb save. The♍ drag-flick from the resulting PC goes wide.

Abhishek scores! India get an early field goal for the second༒ successive match.ꦚ Lalit breaches the Aussie defence and Abhishek turns a flick past Charter. India ahead in the 12th minute.

Harmanpreet scores! India have another goal in the very next minute. Theౠy earn their first penalty corner, but captain Harmanpreet converts it with glee, his booming drag-flick going low to Auss♒ie keeper Charter's right.

The first quarter ends with India two goals ahead of the mighty Australia. Moments before the quarter ends, an Aussie attack is foiled by Sreejesh, whose heroics continue with another top-class saꦛve.

The Kookaburras eye a rej🙈oinder early in the second quarter but Wickham's shot at the Indian goal goes wide.

Vivek gets a green card for a foul. Onus on Australia to make the most of an extra player 🧜on the pitch.

Sreejesh with another good save. Australia garner a penalty corner but the drag-flick is intercepted in time, and Sreejesh clea🌳rs the resulting ricochet out of harm'ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚs way.

India lose the ball while on an attack wave, and the Kookaburras pounce on ꦜit with a searing counter. Willot and Wickham on the charge but the Indians fall back in time to avert danger.

Australia score! Craig scores his first goal of Paris Olympics. A 𒁃penalty corner injection goes awry for the Aussies, but the ball stꦆays inside the circle and Craig is alert at the far post to tap it in. The deficit is down to one goal.

India🅺 have the chance to rebuild a two-goal lead as they earn a penalty corner. But captain Harmanpreet's drag-flick is kept out by Charter thi𒁏s time. The Aussie goalie does well to stay low and kick the ball out on his right.

Sreejesh with yet anꦗother crucial save keeps India ahead. Craig's shot is deflected by the Indian goalkeeper, who steps out of the line to cover the angle. Jarmanpreet then orchestraღtes a counter attack with the seconds running down on the clock and the move comes to nought. The second quarter ends with India holding on to a one-goal advantage.

The second half begins. Craig with a diving pass to Wickham who surges forward but Sreejesh, once again, with an excellent save. He truly has been a rock for the🍸 Indian team at the Games so far.

Harmanpreet scores again! Sreejesh's save leads to an Indian counter and then a penalty corner. Harmanpreet's drag-flick is deflected off the goal-line and they immediately call for a review. The right call, it turns out as 🌟the ball came off the Aussie defender Ogilvie's foot and India get a penalty stroke. Harmanpreet steps up and sends it past Charter for his second goal of the day and 26th of the year. Along with Sreejesh, Harmanpreet has been the lynchpin of India's efforts.

Both India and Australia make purposeful strides toward the opposing goals, but unfruitfully so. India now defendi🗹ng with numbers in their half to try and protect their two-goal cushion.

Chance goes abegging! Harmanpreet's incisive pass is deflected goalward by Rajkumar, but Sukhꩲjeet is unable to tap it in.

An eventful end to the third quarter as Harvie is hurt after clashing with Rajkumar near the Indian circle, and Australia get a pena𒆙lty corner. But nothing comes o༺f it and India reclaim possession in the dying seconds. India still ahead by two goals, with 15 minutes of play to come.

The fourth and final quar🌳ter begins. Australia need to score three more goals in the next 15 minutes to pull off an unlikely win. If not, it will be the first time in eight meetings between the two times that the Kookaburras do not emerge victorious.

The ball rises dangerously as the Aussie defence aims to clear Jarmanpreet's goalward shot, and India earn another PC. Harmanpreet's sizzling strike is saved by Charter, who sticks o𒁏ut his right hand to parry the ball in 𓂃the air and out of danger.

Another penalty corner for India. Abhishek injects and with Harmanpreet not on the pitch, Amit Rohidas takes the drag-flick instead. But his shot is i♎nterceptꦯed by the Aussie defence.

India find the net through Abhishek but the goal is rejected upon Aussie review. Hardik sends a probing pass through tဣo Mandeep, w🌃ho forwards it to Abhishek and he slams it in. But the referral shows there was a stick check by India, and the goal is reversed.

Australia score! Govers converts a penalty stroke and for once, PR Sreejesh is beaten all ends up. The ball hitting an 🅠Indian foot had given the Auss🌼ies the stroke and they make no mistake to narrow the goal deficit.  

Drama! The final hooter rings out with Australia at the goalmouth and Sreejesh on the floor to prevent an equaliser. Th🍬e Kookaburras call for a review, but it comes to no avail as the original decision stands. India win an Olympic match against Australia for the first time in 52 years! The last one came in Munich in 1972.