Pakistan versus India: Nine-a-side Lanco International Super Series at Perth – Mid Match Analysis
Pakistan is currently taking on arch-rival, India, in the second fixture of the innovative nine-a-side Lanco International Super Series match, at the Perth Hockey Stadium, in Australia, on October 21.
Pakistan, India, New Zealand and the host, Australia, are currently contesting the first edition of the nine-a-side event.
Pakistan and India, the two neighbouring countries share a long-standing rivalry in sports. This game was no exception to that rivalry.
The Pakistan team opened the action with field domination through persistent ball control.
Right at the very beginning of the match, the Green-shirts earned a long-corner but Bharat Chetri was active enough in palming away the ball.
Pakistani players held the ball under their possession and made passes at the deep circle, blocking the Indian forward men for the attacks.
In terms of vocal means, more supporters of the Pakistan team were present at the arena as compared to India.
In the 4th minute of the play, Raghunath denied the attack of Shafqat Rasool from Pakistan at the left flank.
In a counter-offence, Danish Mujtaba drove the ball into the deep circle in the very next minute, but Imran Shah (Pakistan) defended the ball with the pads, clearing it away from the dangerous zone.
Although the Indian team played straight hockey with neat and long passes, it failed to open the score in the first ten minutes of the first frame. The players accomplished plenty of attacks but were foiled or went wide.
Waseem Ahmed, the legendary striker from Pakistan, managed to drive the ball to the right flank, slamming a powerful shot at the corner of the goal to put Pakistan ahead of India by 1-0.
However, the lead did not last for a very long time, as the Indian team tied the knots at one-all in the very next minute.
Ravi Pal played a reverse-stick shot from the top of the circle, making an equalisation at the scoreboard.
An end-to-end play was observed in the remaining minutes of the first half. The first fifteen-minutes of action concluded with both the teams locking horns at one-each.
More developments are underway with the second half in the action.