Veteran hockey players and enthusiasts in Amritsar erupted in celebration after India edged past arch-rivals Pakistan 4-3 in a dramatic semifinal of the Asian Games in Japan, with local star Harmanpreet Singh playing a starring role in the high-voltage encounter.Harmanpreet, the Indian captain and one of the world’s leading defenders and drag-flickers, scored twice as India built a commanding lead before Pakistan staged a major fightback. With the match locked at 3-3 in the closing stages, Abhishek struck in the final minute to send India into the gold-medal match.Harmanpreet hails from Timmowal village, around 12 km from Amritsar, and his latest performance has once again put the spotlight on the district’s rich hockey tradition.India entered the tournament as defending champions after winning gold at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou under Harmanpreet’s captaincy. The team now stands one victory away from retaining its continental crown.The success has added to the excitement in Amritsar, particularly because four players from the border district are part of India’s Asian Games squad. Harmanpreet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh and Jugraj Singh are playing as defenders, while Dilpreet Singh is part of the forward line.Former Olympian Brig Harcharan Singh (retd) called the semifinal as a contest that tested India’s resilience, particularly after Pakistan erased a three-goal deficit.“An India-Pakistan hockey match is never an ordinary game. It carries history, emotion and tremendous expectations. The boys showed great character to stay composed and find the winning goal when it mattered most,” he said.Brig Harcharan said the comeback victory demonstrated the team’s belief, fitness and determination to fight until the final whistle. He singled out Abhishek’s late winner as an example of the alertness required at the highest level.Veteran hockey player Balbir Randhawa, however, said the team must look beyond the euphoria of the victory and analyse the way the match unfolded.India’s 3-0 advantage was wiped out as Pakistan scored three goals to level the contest, exposing areas that, according to Randhawa, require attention in defence and game management.“At the highest level, such lapses can prove costly,” he said, urging the players to put the semifinal result behind them and approach the final with discipline and focus.Randhawa said Pakistan remained a strong side and that the intensity of India-Pakistan encounters was part of what made the rivalry special. He added that competitive hockey between the two countries could contribute to strengthening the sport.With the semifinal drama now behind them, the veteran players extended their wishes to the Indian team for the gold-medal match, hoping the side would finish its campaign with another memorable performance.