India's gamble to blood young players backfired completely as Pakistan exploited chinks in the defence to trounce the hosts 3-1 and take a 2-0 lead in the six-match hockey series in Chandigarh on Saturday.
After the 2-1 defeat in the opening Test, the Indians again cut a sorry figure as they were thoroughly outplayed by the far more experienced Pakistanis in the floodlit match which seldom rose to great heights.
The home team did reasonably well to hold the visitors in the initial stages of the game, watched by a sizeable crowd, but seemed to lose their way in the action-packed second half.
The dashing Rehan Butt struck two goals in the 41st and 68th minute while Tariq Aziz (60th) chipped in with one for Pakistan. Sandeep Singh found the target for India in the 44th minute through a brilliant drag flick to reduce the margin.
The last match of the India leg would be played in Jalandhar on Monday. The Indians are slated to cross the border to play the remaining three matches of the bilateral series.
Score: Pakistan 3 (Rehan Butt 41st and 68th, Tariq Aziz 59th) beat India 1 (Sandeep Singh 44th).
