Ipoh, Malaysia: The young Indian outfit shed off their clumsy performance to post a comprehensive 3-1 win over Canada in the Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament here Sunday.

Drag-flicker Diwakar Ram was the star for India as he scored a brace while Shiverndra Singh struck once. India could have won by a bigger margin had they not wasted as many as eight penalty corners.

After two morale-shattering defeats against New Zealand and Argentina, the Indian team led by Sardara Singh came out all guns blazing to pick their first points in the tournament and lifted themselves up from the bottom of standings.

The Indian team looked jaded at the start of the match and gave the impression that another disappointment is in store. But they fought back after being jolted by an early goal (ninth minute) from Wayne Fernando through a penalty corner.

India breached the Canadian defence with some swift moves through the flanks but failed to make them count. They got three penalty corners in the first half but squandered all of them.

India were hampered by the absence of their only goal scorer in the tournament, drag-flicker Sandeep Singh, who went out in the first half after being hit on the right knee while rushing out of the post during a penalty corner. Canada went into the breather leading 1-0.

India looked a transformed side in the second half. They ran hard and created more opportunities which took the opponents by surprise. Sandeep’s replacement 19-year-old Diwakar brought good fortune to the side as he struck twice in the second half.

India got a penalty stroke after S.V. Sunil’s strike, in their fourth penalty corner, hit a Canadian defender. Diwakar took a clean strike to score the equaliser in the 45th minute.

India raised their game and made several forays in the Canadian defence. They were rewarded with another penalty corner in the 51th minute and Diwakar made no mistake in converting it.

India scored another goal two minutes later. Captain Sardara Singh’s free hit from outside the box was deflected by Sunil and the ball went to Shivendra Singh, positioned in right corner of the post, who just tapped it inside.

* New Zealand beat India 4-3 g Argentina defeat Belgium 2-1IPOH: World number six Pakistan beat Malaysia 3-2 in their opening match of the 17th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup Hockey Tournament at the Azlan Shah Stadium here on Thursday.

The Malaysian side made a promising start when forward Kevinder Singh slammed home a loose ball in Pakistan’s “D” in the first minute but Pakistan scored their equaliser through Muhammad Ateeq from a penalty corner in the 22nd. A minute later, Malaysia went in front again through penalty corner speaciallist Mohammad Amin Rahim. However, Pakistan levelled the score in the 28th through Rehan Butt who flicked home a cross and got the winner in the 60th when Muhammad Saqlan coverted from a penalty corner.

Earlier, New Zealand and Argentina registered their opening match wins against India and Belgium respectively. New Zealand clinched a narrow 4-3 win against India whereby all three goals by India were converted by penalty corner speciallist Sandeep Singh in the 14th, 20th and 60th. New Zealand’s goals were scored by Andrew Hayward (penalty corner, 22nd), Simon Child (field goal, 35th), skipper Philip Burrows (field goal, 45th) and Gareth Brooks (field goal, 54th).

In another match, Argentina made an upset by beating Belgium 2-1. Argentina scored first through Ezequiel Martin Sosa’s field goal in the 33rd but Belgium equalised through Jerome Truyens in the 54th. The winner came from a penalty corner by Tomas Argento Innocente in the 60th.