Ipoh, 16 March 2013: Egged on by a 12000-strong packed stadium, hosts Malaysia came back from the brink to steal a 2-2 draw from India, who played brilliant hockey to silence the crowd for the better part of 70 minutes in the last round-robin league match of Sultan Azlan Shah hockey tournament here on Saturday.

Malaysia, who qualified for the final before this match, will take on Australia in the title on Sunday. India will meet Pakistan for the fifth-sixth placing while New Zealand will play Korea for the third place.

Stung by a reverse in the very fifth minute by a short corner goal from Saari Faizal, India came back with vengeance. They displayed quality hockey with hot pace and handy tactics thereafter, dominating the game for better part. But they were hard hit by an umpiring decision in the last minute of the game. After trailing 1-2, Malaysia stepped up their game in the last five minute in search of the equalizer. With the noise reaching a climactic crescendo, India conceded a penalty corner in the 68th minute.

It appeared like a brilliant goalline save by Manpreet Singh but the umpire whistled for another short corner and within minutes the other umpire changed it to a penalty stroke. Indians protested and walked out of the field but the Indian coach Michael Nobbs brought them back and Saari Faizal converted the stroke without any fuss as the crowd erupted into screams of joy.

Earlir, India played well after the reverse and went into the break 1-1. But after the half time, the Indian midfield raised the tempo and came up with repeated moves feeding to the strikers. In the 20th minute, India scored the equalizer through a gem of goal when Amit Rohidas sent a quicksilver pass from the left flank into the circle to Mandeep Singh. With only goalkeer Kumar to beat, Mandeep flicked the ball into the net, on the run, for a superb goal. Kumar who had a good day under the bar had no chance whatever.

After the crossover, India earned their second short corner and Rupinder Pal Singh flicked in to get India the lead. From then on, India held on the lead with attacking hockey and looked set for a victory but the hosts, with veteran Chua Boon Huat, in the forefront turned the tide in the last five minutes.