On a day cricket disappoints, hockey heroes delight
Men in Blue register biggest victory over Pakistan
India hockey skipper Manpreet Singh (third from left) celebrates with teammates Harmanpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh during their World League Semi-final Pool B match against Pakistan in London on Sunday. India won 7-1 to enter the quarter-finals. This was their biggest win over the traditional rivals, bettering the 7-4 efforts in the 2003 Champions Trophy at Amstelveen, Holland, and the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
London, June 18: A clinical India demolished Pakistan 7-1 to register their third consecutive victory and seal a place in the quarter-finals of the Hockey World League Semi-Final, here on Sunday.
It was a complete performance by the Indians who dominated their opponents throughout to post a facile win and zoom to the top of Pool B ahead of the Netherlands. Drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh (13th minute, 33rd), Talwinder Singh (21st, 24th), Akashdeep Singh (47th, 59th) and Pradeep Mor (49th) scored for India at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, while Pakistan’s consolation goal came from the stick of Muhammad Umar Bhutta (57th).
The 7-1 win was also India’s biggest over Pakistan, bettering the 7-4 effort against arch-rivals in the 2003 Champions Trophy at Amstelveen, Holland, and the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
India are atop Pool B with three wins from as many games, just ahead of the Netherlands, who are placed second.
Pakistan, on the other hand, are at the bottom of the pool after losing all three matches they have played so far.
India will next play the Netherlands on Tuesday, while Pakistan face Scotland.
Contrary to the result, it was Pakistan who made a bright start but their domination lasted only the first 10 minutes.
Pakistan had the first shot at the goal when they earned a penalty corner but the effort sailed over the bar.
As the match progressed, India started to control the proceedings with Pakistan playing a catch-up game.
Harmanpreet gave India the lead in the 13th minute, converting a penalty corner with a lowgrounded flick. The Indian players wore black armbands on the day to condole the deaths of martyrs in the recent attacks on the Indian army.
The hockey fraternity in India has always been vocal about the pride and respect it has for the Indian soldiers and always condemned such barbaric acts. — PTI