Asian Champions Trophy: Indian hockey team hailed after impressive 3-1 win over Pakistan

The Indian hockey team put up a dominant performance against arch-rivals Pakistan in the Asian Champions Trophy as they thrashed them 3-1 on Friday. Harmanpreet Singh scored two on the day, with Akashdeep Singh scoring the third. Meanwhile, Junaid Manzoor scored the consolation goal for Pakistan.

Former India skipper Dilip Tirkey lauded the performance of the Indian hockey team in their win over Pakistan. 

Following the conclusion of the match, several Indian fans took to their social media handles to celebrate, stating that a win against Pakistan in any competition is a moment to savour.

India vs Pakistan: Netizens celebrate win of Indian hockey team

Asian Champions Trophy: Indian hockey team beats Pakistan 3-1

Harmanpreet Singh opened the scoring for the Indian hockey team in the sixth minute via a fantastic penalty corner. Soon after, they dictated the play over the next two quarters but were not able to find the back of the net. After continuing the domination into the third quarter, Akashdeep found the back of the net in the 41st minute from close range to double India's advantage.

Although Pakistan were quick to reply, with Junaid Manzoor pulling a goal back, it was never going to be enough to trouble India's resolute defence. The Manpreet Singh-led side defended brilliantly and minimized Pakistan's chances to attack their goal. With Pakistan failing to score, Harmanpreet scored another penalty corner in the fourth quarter to put the game to bed.

Indian hockey team's campaign so far

After a disappointing 2-2 draw against the South Korean hockey team, India, later on, put up some exceptional performances. As a result of some outstanding attacking display, they thrashed hosts Bangladesh 9-0 in their second match. Dilpreet Singh scored a fantastic hat-trick, with Jarmanpreet Singh scoring an excellent goal from the penalty corner. Meanwhile, Lalit Upadhayay, Akashdeep Singh and Mandeep Mor also contributed with a goal each against Bangladesh.

As a result of two victories and a loss in their first three matches, India currently leads the Asian Championship Trophy standings with seven points, five points clear of second-placed South Korea, who have played a game less.