Chandigarh: India held Pakistan to a 1-1 draw in Chandigarh today (Oct 6, 2004) in their must-win match, which has now left them with only an opportunity to level the eight-match hockey series.

The Indians needed a win to keep their hopes of claiming the title but the drawn encounter meant that their archrivals maintained their 3-1 lead with two matches to go. India must win both of these games to draw the series.

An error-prone India missed five penalty corners and as many sitters to allow Pakistan to escape with a draw.

After Ghazanfar Ali gave Pakistan the lead in the 22nd minute, India fought back and levelled the score through Ignace Tirkey, whose stunning deflection in the 33rd minute found the net.

But thereon, the Indians played some lacklustre hockey to disappoint the large number of fans who had gathered to watch the Asian giants in action.

Pakistan, needing a win to clinch the series, made their intentions clear as early as in the first half itself when they earned a penalty corner following a fine move on the right.

Sohail Abbas, on the threshold of breaking the world record, was cheered when he readied to take the shot but the roar went louder when he hit the shot wide.

That was all the penalty corner king could do as he hardly got any other chance to surge ahead of Paul Litjens' tally of 267 goals.