<p><strong>Bhubaneswar:</strong> Skipper Harmanpreet Singh's brace went in vain as the Indian men's hockey team conceded three goals in the final quarter to lose 4-6 to Australia in a FIH Pro League match here on Thursday.</p> <p>It was Australia who started and finished the match in style with the Indians dominating in the middle period.</p> <p>Harmanpreet (12th, 20th minutes) converted two penalty corners, while Sukhjeet Singh (18th) and Mandeep Singh (29th) were the other goal getters for India.</p> <p>Blake Govers struck twice for Australia in the second minute besides Aran Zalewski (40th), Lahlan Sharp (52nd), Jacon Anderson (55th) and Jack Welch (58th). The Kookaburras took India for a surprise at the start of the match with Govers handing the visitors a 2-0 lead in the second minute.</p> <p>He first scored from Australia's first penalty corner past India custodian Krishan Bahadur Pathak and then doubled his side's lead with an unstoppable shot past the goalkeeper.</p> <p>It was full press from the Kookaburras in the first 10 minutes as they secured another penalty corner soon but the Indians defended stoutly.</p> <p>It was relentless pressure from Australia and it took a save from Pathak to deny Welch from a penalty corner.</p> <p>In the 12th minute, India secured their first penalty corner and Harmanpreet made no mistake, firing in with a rocket flick which Australia goalkeeper Andrew Charter had no answer to.</p> <p>India grew in confidence with the goal and started to dominate the proceedings and minutes later Abhishek' shot from Sukhjeet's feed was saved by Charter.</p> <p>The hosts continued their attacking game and secured their second penalty corner soon but it was wasted.</p> <p>Sukhjeet levelled the scores for India in the 18th minute, putting in a wobbly ball from Abhishek.</p> <p>Two minutes later, Harmanpreet gave India the lead converting another penalty corner and then a minute from half-time Mandeep scored with a bullet shot from top of the D after receiving a defence splitting 45 degree ball from his skipper.</p> <p>Trailing by two goals, Australia pressed hard after the change of ends and earned a couple of penalty corners and from one such chance, Zalewski deflected in Goovers flick.</p> <p>The fourth and final quarter completely belonged to Australia as they pumped in three more goals through Sharp, Anderson and Welch to pocket three points from the game.</p> <p>India will next play Ireland here on Friday. </p> <p><em><strong>(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)</strong></em></p>
from Haris Rauf's Central Contract Terminated By PCB, NOCs Denied For Foreign Leagues https://ift.tt/xHgLX60
from Haris Rauf's Central Contract Terminated By PCB, NOCs Denied For Foreign Leagues https://ift.tt/xHgLX60