Harmanpreet SIngh's Brace Hands India 2-1 Win Over Pakistan In ACT hockey

Skipper Harmanpreet Singh made the difference as he converted two penalty corners to hand unbeaten India a close 2-1 win over arch-rivals Pakistan in their final league match of the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in Hulunbuir on Saturday. It was India's fifth consecutive win in the six-team round-robin competition. Pakistan took the lead through Ahmad Nadeem (8th minute) before Harmanpreet (13th, 19th) converted two penalty corners to lead India to win. It was Pakistan's first loss in this tournament.

Both India and Pakistan have already qualified for the semifinals. The victory also enabled India to maintain their supremacy over Pakistan since 2016.

In their previous meeting at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year, India thrashed Pakistan 10-2. A few months before that, the Indians beat Pakistan 4-0 during the Chennai edition of the ACT.

At the Asia Cup in Jakarta (2022), a relatively young Indian side held Pakistan to a 1-1 draw while at the 2021 ACT in Dhaka, India defeated Pakistan 4-3 to clinch the bronze medal.

As like any Indo-Pak hockey match, the first quarter saw end-to-end action with both the teams giving their all to gain the bragging rights.

The Indians started brightly dominating the early share of exchanges but Pakistan grew in confidence as the match progressed.

India were at the receiving end for the first time in the tournament when Pakistan drew the first blood.

It was a selfless Hannan Shahid whose brilliant work from the midfield split the Indian defence and Nadeem found himself at the right place to direct the ball into the Indian goal.

A stunned India kept up their composure and patiently built their attacks and secured their first penalty corner in the 13th minute and skipper Harmanpreet