By S2H Team

Harmanpreet Singh’s drag-flick brace and Akashdeep’s field goal helped India put it across arch-rivals Pakistan 3-1 in a 2021 Asian Champions Trophy encounter at the Maulana Bhasani stadium in Dhaka on Friday. The result meant 11th win for India out of the last twelve encounters between the two nations, the other being drawn.

A spectacular goal by Junaid Manzoor reduced the margin to 1-2 brought Pakistan back into the match and set up a tense fourth quarter.

Harmanpreet’s trademark drag-flicks eased Indian nerves as Pakistan showed signs of growing into the game after a faltering start. The sturdy defender’s heroics today helped India consolidate their position at the top of the five-nation table with seven points from three matches while Pakistan are fourth with a point from two.

The chasm in rankings – India’s third as opposed to Pakistan 18th – goes out of the window in one of sport’s greatest rivalries. Surely enough, the score stood at 1-0 to India from their lone penalty corner but much credit must go to Pakistan goalkeeper Mazhar Abbas for yet another spectacular show.

India had the lion’s share in the match. They outdid their rivals 20-12 on circle entries, 5-3 on shots and 59 percent on possession. They also had three penalty corners to Pakistan’s two – indications that they sustained their recent domination over their neighbours.

Harmanpreet drew first blood in the seventh minute with a low flick to Abbas’ left but India’s attempts to consolidate with a sustained high press didn’t fetch reward.

Still, India could have been two to the good but Abbas saved Manpreet’s deflection from Harmanpreet’s ball into the circle as the first quarter drew to a close.

Pakistan, who didn’t have a clear look at India’s goal the entire first half, began to grow into the game after halftime but it was India who went further ahead in the 41st minute.

Shilanand Lakra worked his way down the left flank to find Sumeet whose backhanded pass set up Akashdeep nicely to reverse hit into goal at close range to ease Indian nerves.

Pakistan, however, came right back into it with a spectacular effort by Junaid who got a diving deflection to Junior World Cup star Abdul Rana’s pass.

India could have grabbed the match by the scruff five minutes into the final quarter when Akashdeep went desperately close – once with a first-time shot that went just wide off the far post and the other with an attempt that drew Abbas to a smart save.

It was then the turn of Abbas’ opposite number – the young Suraj Karkera – to make his presence felt. Pakistan forced their first PC of the tournament – a wait of 112 minutes after accounting for their goalless draw with Japan in the opener – only for Mubashar Ali’s essay to be foiled by Kakera with a timely left foot.

India’s lead look fragile but a second PC came their way the next minute and Harmanpreet stepped up to provide a carbon copy of his first goal to regain India’s two-goal cushion.

It was far from over, though, and Karkera needed to stand strong at Pakistan’s second PC within the minute. Ali Shan went close for Pakistan with four minutes left on the clock after which India controlled play, even forcing their third PC. The ball though went to the second castle manned by Varun Kumar whose drag-flick was parried away by the alert Abbas.

India now play Japan in their last league encounter on Sunday. Pakistan take on South Korea on Saturday followed by Japan vs Bangladesh.

4 days short of seven years ago, Pakistan beat India in the 2014 Champions Trophy in Bhubaneswar 4-3. Since then save two defeats while fielding a second string team in the SAF Games, India haven’t  lost to their arch rival.