Pakistan beats China, takes a 3-0 lead in international series

Pakistan registered its third straight victory to lead China 3-0 in the four-match series, the first international hockey competition held in this country since 2004.

Pakistan won the third match of the series Saturday afternoon in Faisalabad 3-1. The hosts had already won the first two matches 3-0 and 5-3 in the southern port city of Karachi, Xinhua reported.

Pakistani striker Ali Shan opened the scoring in the second minute. Veteran Shakeel Abbasi doubled the lead in the 21st minute.

Pakistan led 2-0 at the interval, but China pulled one goal back to make it 2-1 thanks to a penalty scored by skipper Liu Yixian in the 61st minute.

Three minutes later Pakistan’s Waqas Sharif extended the hosts advantage again to seal the victory.

International sports events had been stopped in Pakistan due to the refusal of international teams after a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in March 2009 in Lahore.

The 28-member Chinese hockey team is the first international team to tour Pakistan in the last seven years.

Though many individual international players toured Pakistan during the last few years, China is the first international hockey team visiting Pakistan after 2004 Junior Asia Cup held in Pakistan.