Blue Tiger: The Pakistan gamers discovered Chhetri too sizzling to deal with.| Photo Credit: Okay. MURALI KUMAR

A Sunil Chhetri hat-trick powered India to a straightforward 4-0 victory over Pakistan in its SAFF Championship opener at a rain-soaked Sree Kanteerava Stadium right here on Wednesday.

It was an underwhelming hat-trick — two penalties and a present from the Pakistan goalie — however the skipper wouldn’t have minded, for the strikes took him to 90 worldwide objectives and fourth within the all-time checklist.

In the primary half, Pakistan regarded each bit the group that had arrived on the day of the match and with out enough practise. Matters had, the truth is, gotten worse for the guests as 14 gamers needed to be break up up from the principle group due to logistic causes and that bunch ended up lacking the flight from Mumbai, reaching Bengaluru barely hours earlier than the kick-off.

Pakistan’s play was as disjointed. Goalkeeper Saqib Hanif was the primary to show the indicators, planting a kick straight at Chhetri, who slotted the ball into an empty web as early because the tenth minute.

Six minutes later, Chhetri doubled the lead from the penalty spot. Easah Suliman, the 25-year-old centre-back and former England under-20 worldwide, conceded the foul when the ball struck his outstretched arm whereas defending a shot from Anirudh Thapa.

For the remainder of the half, India ran rings round its South Asian neighbour. The likes of Sahal Abdul Samad and Lallianzuala Chhangte dribbled previous the Pakistan gamers as in the event that they had been coaching cones. It was a pity that the scoreline didn’t swell.

But a touchline scuffle simply earlier than half-time involving Indian head coach Igor Stimac introduced the spark again. Stimac impeded a Pakistan throw-in, and in a flash each units of gamers had been at every others’ throats.

Some cool heads like Chhetri intervened to calm issues down, but it surely couldn’t save Stimac from a crimson card.

There had been some anxious moments when three intruders ran on to the turf over a 45-minute interval, with the second going all the way in which as much as the centre circle and inside handshake distance of Chhetri.

Fans noticed the humorous aspect of it and simply when it appeared like that it will be the final reminiscence they'd carry, substitute Udanta Singh utilized the ending touches, scoring his group’s fourth.

The outcome: India 4 (Chhetri 10, 16 & 74, Udanta 81) bt Pakistan 0.