India beat green shirts in Asian Champions Trophy

Arch rivals beat Pakistan 2-1 to hand the green shirts their first defeat in the tournament.

DOHA: Just weeks after Pakistan had outclassed arch rivals India to the bronze in the men’s Champions Trophy, they went down to them 2-1 in the Asian Champions Trophy.

Coming into the tournaments as favourites after having had a mixed Champions trophy where they managed to outclass Germany in the quater finals before being thumped by the Netherlands in the semis, Pakistan was looking at another strong showing in Qatar.

Earlier on Sunday, Pakistan was held by Malaysia 3-3 in Doha, Qatar.

Malaysia, ranked 13th in the international circuit, eight-places below Pakistan, took the lead in the match scoring in 20th minute. But green-shirts leveled the arrear a minute later when Muhammad Rizwan Sr scored.

But Faisal Saari put the underdogs ahead once more scoring in the 43rd minute.

However, Muhammad Waqas scored two back to back goals in 55th and 57th minute to put four-time world champions ahead in the match.

But Malaysian Jalil Abdul denied the favorites to clinch third consecutive victory in the tournament, producing a goal in the dying minutes of the match to eventually draw the match.

Of the four matches it has played, they have won two against Oman and China, while drawing with Malaysia and losing to India.

Pakistan now face Japan in their next match.