In the latest edition of India and Pakistan’s hockey rivalry, SV Sunil struck twice as India thrashed their neighbours 5-1 in a round-robin fixture of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup at Ipoh.
Five-time former champion India got on the board first with SV Sunil helping Manpreet Singh open the account in the fourth minute. Their opponents in green though equalised just 3 minutes later, Muhammad Irfan converting a penalty corner.
The 10th minute saw SV Sunil then add to India’s tally as they closed the first quarter with a 2-1 lead.
Pakistan could not add any more goals to their tally in the three quarters that followed even as India seemed to have no trouble on that front.
SV Sunil got his second in the 41st minute, Talwinder Singh scored India’s fourth in the 50th and Rupinder Pal Singh ended all hopes of a Pakistan comeback four minutes later by ticking the scorecard to 5-1.
India will next play defending champions New Zealand on Wednesday even as they have moved to the second spot in the standings with 9 points.
The match is also a revenge of sorts for the Indian team as only recently, a second-string Indian hockey team had been beaten by a young Pakistan in the final of the South Asian Games at home.
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