Hockey: India thrash Pakistan 5-1 in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup
SV Sunil scored a brace as the five-time champions dominated their arch-rivals and jumped to the second spot in the table.
India thrashed Pakistan 5-1 to record a comprehensive win in their Sultan Azlan Shah Cup encounter in Malaysia on Tuesday. India are now in second place in the table with nine points, behind Australia on goal difference.
After lacklustre performances against Japan, Australia and Canada, India came out all guns blazing against Pakistan and took the lead in the fourth minute with a goal from Manpreet Singh. Pakistan equalised in the seventh minute, but that would prove to be their only goal of the game. India retook the lead just three minutes later through a SV Sunil deflection and went into the end of the second quarter 2-1.
Pakistan tried hard for another equaliser, but it was India's Sunil who scored in the 11th minute of the third quarter to seal the game. Talwinder Singh's 50th-minute goal and a Rupinder Pal Singh finish from a penalty corner in the 53rd minute boosted India's lead, as a listless Pakistan collapsed.