India have defeated Pakistan in Asian Hockey Championship match by 3-2 in Malaysia.
India took the lead first in the second quarter through Pradeep Mor but Pakistan’s Rizwan Sr scored an equaliser in the third quarter. In the last quarter, Pakistan took the lead after Mohammad Irfan Jr scored a beautiful goal.
This fired up Indians, who began to play attacking game and scored two back to back goals through Rupinder Singh Pal and Ramadeep taking the score to 3-2 in their favour.
Both teams had played two matches each before today’s box-office event. India had beaten Japan 10-2 in their opening match but was forced to settle with a 1-1 draw in the following match. Pakistan, on the other hand, lost to hosts Malaysia in their opening encounter, but followed it up with a 1-0 win over South Korea.
The Indian captain, PR Sreejesh had on Friday implored his players to play it cool when they take on Pakistan. Seeking to cool the nerves of his players, Sreejesh said the preliminary league fixture against Pakistan was just one of the matches.
India had won the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy in 2011 by defeating Pakistan in the final. Pakistan reversed the result in the title encounter the following year. Pakistan retained the title by defeating Japan in the final in 2013, when India sent their under-21 team and finished fifth.
Skipper Sreejesh had last month vowed that his team will give its all to beat Pakistan in the Asian Champions Trophy.
Sreejesh did not mention the recent Uri terror attack which led to heightened tensions between the two countries but said his team would not want to disappoint Indian soldiers by losing against Pakistan in the Asian Champions Trophy to be played at Kuantan in Malaysia between October 20 and 30.
“India-Pakistan match brings a lot of excitement to the table. We want to give hundred per cent. We don’t want to disappoint our soldiers by losing, especially when they sacrifice their lives in the exchange of fire at the borders,” Sreejesh had told PTI.
