A thrilling encounter at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium in Johor Bahru saw India and Pakistan play out a 3-3 draw in the Sultan of Johor Cup on Tuesday. The match, a high-stakes clash between the two rivals, lived up to its expectations with both teams displaying resilience and fighting spirit.
Pakistan started strong, with Abdul Hanan Shahid converting a penalty stroke in the 5th minute to give his team an early lead. Pakistan continued to dominate and doubled their lead in the 39th minute when Sufyan Khan successfully converted a penalty corner. At this point, Pakistan seemed to be in control of the match.
However, India mounted a stunning comeback in the final two quarters. Araijeet Singh Hundal scored from a penalty in the 43rd minute to open India's account. Sourabh Anand Kushwaha then scored an equalizer in the 47th minute. The momentum shifted completely when Manmeet Singh scored in the 53rd minute, giving India the lead for the first time in the match.
With just minutes left, Pakistan found themselves under pressure, but Sufyan Khan dodged the Indian goalkeeper and scored in the 55th minute, leveling the score. Despite both teams' efforts in the closing minutes, neither could find a winning goal, and the match ended in a 3-3 draw.
With this draw, Pakistan is now in third place with four points, while Australia and India are at the top with seven points each. India had previously won against Great Britain (3-2) and New Zealand (4-2). Pakistan will face New Zealand and Australia in their upcoming group stage matches. The final and classification matches of the tournament are scheduled for October 18.
The match also highlighted the friendly sportsmanship between the two sides, as players from both teams shook hands.
Goals:
- Pakistan: Abdul Hanan Shahid (5'), Sufyan Khan (39', 55')
- India: Araijeet Singh Hundal (43'), Sourabh Anand Kushwaha (47'), Manmeet Singh (53')
