INDIA IN MALAYSIA

JUNE, 2001:

TEST SERIES – SENIOR INDIA

JUNE 7:Malaysia holds India to a 2-2 draw in the fourth test. With this India won he four match series 1-0. Malaysian coach Paul Lissek said, “This series was a great ground to test all the players. I am happy on their performance”. Prabjoth Singh put India one up in the 15th minute, deflecting a cross from right flank into the home. At the stroke of half time, Shanmuganathan converted Malaysia’s first corner to equalise. Malaysia consolidated the lead thro Shankar off a Maninderjit Singh’s hard push from top that flabbergasted Indian goalie Jude Menezes. As the match was nearing the end, Arjun Halappa, hero of the Indian Junior Asia Cup, tapped a freehit from Baljit Singh Dhillon for the all important equaliser. Malalysians had to rue for their missed chance for the result. In the twelfth minute, a shot by by Jiwa Mohan hits the goal post bar. Again in the 64th min. another good attempt by Chua Boon Huat ended gainlessly. For India’s part, Arjun Halappa fumbled with a gem of a pass from Deepak Thakur mid way through the first session. Malaysian Keeper Nasihin Nubli effected a great save in the 66th minute off a great ground shot by Dilip Tirkey in its only penalty corner of the match. Deepak Thakur got a yellow card suspension in the match for a rough tackle. India today rested forwards Gagan Ajit Singh and Senthil.

June 6: Third test ends in a 1-1 draw after both sides failed to score in the first half. Gagan Ajit Singh put India one up in the 47th minute tapping a rebound off Dilip Tirkey’s penalty corner hit. Rival defender Kuhan Shanmuganathan converted a stroke to equalise 15 minutes later even as valiant Indian goalie Devesh Chauhan tried his best to prevent it. Five minute before the equaliser, a powerful shot by captain Mirnawan Nawawi from the top of the circle was brilliantly saved by Devesh. In the 52nd minute, Malaysian goalie Roslan too gave a great save stopping forward Prabjoth Singh’s reverse shot which seemed to reach home by all accounts. India rested captain Baljit Singh Dhillon, Jude Menezes, and Sukhbir Singh for the day’s contest. A moderate crowd of about one thousand watched the match in the Bukit Jalil stadium where India could make use of only one of its six penalty corners whereas Malaysia failed with both the awards. The fourth and fianl test will be played in the same stadium under floodlights on Thursday. India just needs a draw to win the 4-match series and for Malaysia a win will ensure drawn series.

June 4: India and Malaysia drew their second test at Malacca goal-less.

Know about Malacca The city situated about 140km from Kuala Lumpur has a population about 1.5 million and has produced many Malaysian internationls. India played twice here in 1964 and 1983. Despite being the then Olympic Champions, India lost the first one whereas it toasted a win in the second.

JUNE 2: The visiting Indians made a winning start to their 4-match test series with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over host Malaysia at Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur. In an evenly fought match, it was Malaysia who took the lead with a penalty corner conversion by Mohd.Madzli Ikmar. Kuhan Shanmuganathan took the first hit, which Ikmar defelected to make Malaysia one up in the eigth minute itself. Malaysia got three more penalty corners but all went in vain.

India’s first goal came two minutes before the lemon break through a field effort by Deepak Thakur. In the frustrating second half, goals were hard to come by for both sides but everything seemed to favour a draw, gangling youngster Phabjoth Singh posted a field goal in the 70th minute for a victory.

In a rather disappointing note, Indian failed to convert any of the seven penalty corners they got.The Second Test will be in Malacca on 4th June 2001.