Gagan's hat-trick helps India thrash Kiwis

AUCKLAND, JUNE 23. India completed its month long tour of three countries - Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand - with a touch of flourish beating the Kiwis in the fourth and final hockey Test today thanks to a brilliant hat-trick by Gagan Ajit Singh.

India ended on the side of victory by a 4-1 margin after a goal- less first half. However, India was unable to win the series, which New Zealand wrapped up, beating the visiting outfit twice, 3-2 at Dunedin and 2-1 at Wellington.

The second match at Ashburton ended in a 2-2 draw.

Gagan Ajit Singh was in irrepressible form in the last quarter of the match, two of the three in the hat-trick coming in the last five minutes of the match. Phil Burrows scored the only for the Kiwis.

The Indians play a friendly tomorrow against the resident Indians before returning home.

India is now preparing for the World Cup qualifier at Edinburgh to be staged from July 17 to 29, and is grouped along with New Zealand, Egypt and Wales in group A.

The outcome of the Kiwi leg of the tour assumed some significance in the light of the late entry of New Zealand to the World Cup qualifier in the vacancy caused by the withdrawal of Zimbabwe owing to some financial constraints.

India takes on Wales in its opening match on July 18.

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