India signed off from the Hobart leg of the FIH Men’s Pro League 2025-26 with a hard-fought 3-1 shootout victory over Australia after the regulation period ended 1-1 on Tuesday.
Australia opened the scoring in the final quarter when captain Jeremy Hayward converted a penalty corner in the 49th minute. India responded quickly through Shilanand Lakra, who finished a well-worked move two minutes later to restore parity.
The contest began cautiously, with Australia enjoying greater possession in the opening quarter while India relied on structured defending and counterattacks. Young goalkeeper Mohith Honnenahalli Shashikumar made early saves to keep the hosts at bay. India created chances through penalty corners and circle entries, but attempts from Amandeep Lakra and Abhishek failed to find the target.
Shashikumar anchors shootout success
The second and third quarters saw both teams exchange opportunities. India threatened through Manmeet Singh and Araijeet Singh Hundal, while Australia tested the Indian defence with multiple penalty corners. Shashikumar stood out during this phase, making key interventions, including a goal-line stop and successive saves during a late third-quarter spell.
After Lakra’s equaliser in the 51st minute, India pushed forward in search of a winner and earned several penalty corners in the closing stages. However, neither side managed to break the deadlock, forcing the match into a shootout.
In the one-on-one decider, Shilanand Lakra, Maninder Singh and Vishnukant Singh converted their attempts for India. Shashikumar then denied Australia on three occasions, sealing a 3-1 shootout win and earning India the bonus point to conclude their Hobart campaign on a positive note.
