India outclassed hosts Malaysia 6-1 to enter the finals of the 25th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup Hockey Tournament.
An inspired Indian team started pressurizing a relatively inexperienced Malaysian team right from the word go and it took them just three minutes to score the first goal, courtesy Nikkin Thimmaiah.
The score was doubled four minutes later when Harjeet Singh chipped of Talwinder Singh a ball with a reverse hit. India increased the pressure throughout the first half as they dominated the possession 63%-37%.
The tale was no different in the second quarter as Ramandeep Singh in the 25th minute scored his first goal of the tournament to hand the visitors a three-goal cushion. The lead extended to 4-0 just two minutes later when Danish Mujtaba hit a ball off a rebound.
The distress for the home team did not just end there as in the 39th minute, Ramandeep scored his second goal of the match and the tournament, to give India an invincible 5-0 lead.
Malaysia, however, did pull one back in the Saabah got a magnificent deflection into the post. But the damage was already done and soon in the 50th minute Talwinder Singh scored another goal to widen India’s lead. However, with that solitary goal, India still did not manage to keep a clean sheet in the tournament so far.
There were no further goals scored and with this win, India now prepare to take on Australia in the finals on Saturday.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)