India defeated Great Britain 4-2 in a shootout to earn a bonus point after both sides drew 4-4 in regulation time in a high-scoring FIH Pro League encounter on Saturday.
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Sukhjeet Singh and Abhishek scored for India, while Sam Ward was the star for the hosts, scoring all their four goals on the day. The win ensured a bonus point for India but they are still lying second in the standings below Great Britain with 24 points from 12 games. Great Britain are atop the table with 26 points from 11 matches.
Great Britain started this match on an attacking note and made all the early running, but three saves from goalkeeper Krishan Pathak ensured India stayed on level terms.
Mandeep then earned a penalty corner for India in the seventh minute and skipper Harmanpreet's low dragflick sounded the post to hand the visitors the lead. India's joy was shortlived as Ward converted a penalty corner in the very next minute to level the scores.
Both teams continued to play at a frantic pace in the second quarter but it was India who surged ahead again through Mandeep, who hammered the ball in from Hardik Singh's brilliant pass.
Two minutes from half-time, Sukhjeet made it 3-1 with a tomahawk after being fed by Hardik as the visitors went into the breather with a two-goal cushion. Both the teams failed to create any clearcut chances after the change of ends, until the 40th minute when India conceded another penalty corner and Ward scored with a powerful flick to reduce the margin.
From then, Great Britain took control of the game, and Ward equalised in controversial circumstances, after a free hit was taken well in advance of where it should've been.
The hosts dominated possession in the final quarter but it was India who restored their lead in the 50th minute through a field goal from Abhishek from a counter-attack. But, the Ward show continued as he brought the hosts back level with another field goal.
Both Great Britain and India got a few penalty corners in the final minutes of the game but faltered in execution.
In the shoot-out, Manpreet Singh, Harmanpreet, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay and Abhishek scored for India, while Rupert Shipperley and Phil Roper missed for the hosts.
India will next travel to Eindhoven, Netherlands to play the hosts and Argentina in their next FIH Pro League commitment.