Harmanpreet hits four as India record biggest-ever win over Pak in hockey

Hangzhou : Captain Harmanpreet Singh found the net four times as a rampaging India hammered Pakistan 10-2 to record their biggest-ever win over the arch-rivals in a one-sided Pool A match to book a semifinal berth in the men's hockey competition at the Asian Games here on Saturday.

Harmanpreet scored in the 11th, 17th, 33rd and 34th minutes while Varun Kumar (41st and 54th) struck twice. Mandeep Singh (8th), Sumit (30th), Samsher Singh (46th) and Lalit Kumar Upadhyay (49th) were the other goal getters.

Pakistan reduced the margin through Muhammad Khan (38th) and Abdul Rana (45th) as India toyed their opponents for large part of their penultimate pool match.

This was the 180th match between the two teams and the 8-goal margin win was the biggest-ever in the history of India-Pakistan hockey.

India's earlier biggest victory margin was 7-1 against Pakistan registered in 2017. Pakistan's 7-1 win in the final of 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi was their biggest win against India. India, thus, exacted revenge of that humiliating loss 41 years ago though Saturday's match.

India collected 12 points from four consecutive wins to stay on top of the pool. India will play Bangladesh on October 2 in their last Pool A match.