NEW DELHI, Oct 4: Penalty-corner specialist Sohail Abbas equalled the field hockey world record for international goals as he starred in Pakistan's 3-1 win over India in the fifth match of an eight-match series here on Monday.

Abbas scored off a penalty-corner in the first half and converted a penalty stroke in the second to equal Dutch legend Paul Litjens record of 267 goals as Pakistan took a 3-1 lead in the series.

Forward Kashif Jawad struck the other goal for the winners while Sandeep Michael shot in for India, who trailed 2-0 at half time. Michael's deflection off a hit-in from captain Dilip Tirkey early in the second session gave India hope but Sohail sealed the fate of the match by scoring off the 'stroke' a little later.

The 'stroke' was awarded after Tirkey was hit on the face while defending a penalty-corner and had to be stretchered off the ground. Abbas was happy to equal the record but said he still had a long way to go.

"I don't want to look at what I have achieved but would rather like to concentrate on what I have to do," said Sohail, who started the series at 261 goals. "I am still learning with each match," he said, who finds promise in this Indian team.

"They are playing well and can be a really good side in the coming years. It was just that we made the most of our chances," admitted Sohail about the new-look team. India did launch quite a few attacks in the second session but looked a disjointed lot in the first.

They conceded an early goal when centre-forward Kashif found the mark with a first-timer in the fifth minute after Dilawar Hussain cut past a couple of defenders and put him in possession.

India struggled to create moves even as Pakistan increased the lead in the 28th minute when Sohail converted his team's third penalty-corner in the 28th minute. Michael failed to latch on to a long pass from Hari Prasad on the left flank in the best chance that India had in the first session, in which they gained just one penalty-corner.

India's new-look team is without prominent players like Dhanraj Pillay, Gagan Ajit Singh and Prabhjot Singh but surprised many by winning 4-1 in the second match and drawing the last match of the Pakistan leg.

The remaining matches of the Indian leg will be held in Chandigarh (Oct 6), Amritsar (Oct 8) and Hyderabad (Oct 10). This is the seventh series between the two countries. Pakistan have won four series, India have won one, while one ended in a draw. -AFP

Pakistan 3 India 1