RAWALPINDI, Feb 26: A complacent Pakistan let a three-goal lead slip away as India bravely came from behind to force a 3-3 draw in the sixth and final hockey Test at Army Stadium on Sunday.

As if they had the match in their bag slackness crept into the home side’s ranks that allowed the rivals pull level in a dramatic 10 minutes through goals from Sandeep Singh, Tejbir Singh and Vikram Pillay.

The incredible Indian effort came after Pakistan, without key forwards Rehan Butt and Shakeel Abbasi, had seized a 2-0 half-time lead.

Pakistan shone as Tariq Aziz fired home from a Dilawar Hussain pass in the 4th minute and then the temperamental captain Mohammad Saqlain chipped in intelligently from close range seven minutes from breather.

India did not seem unnerved and put on an exciting display but the forwards were either off mark or were thwarted by the defenders.

They pressed forward with all seriousness in the closing stages of the first half but the defence held on.

Pakistan, who had only one short corner, continued to maintain ascendancy and notched up the third goal when Shabbir Khan cashed in on a long scoop-in pass from Saqlain in the 44th minute.

It was a comfortable cushion, so thought everyone, but India buoyant after their 2-1 victory in Faisalabad on Friday, had other ideas. A home defence that had barely allowed the opposition much room to manoeuvre earlier on, suddenly began to err.

The first real signs of danger came in the 54th minute when the tourists forced a short corner, their third of the match. Ace penalty corner striker Sandeep Singh, who could not score in the fifth Test, got it right with a drag flick that went through Salman Akbar’s gate.

It should have been a timely wake-up call for the hosts but the defenders faltered and soon Tejbir chipped in from close range to cut down the deficit with a good 10 minutes of play still remaining.

The home players were shaken and so was the bench management of coach Asif Bajwa, his deputy Rana Mujhaid and manager Saeed Khan.

Their boys were in for a further blow which was dealt by Pillay who struck from the left off a pass from Tejbir that squared the match.

But Pakistan were left thanking their stars for not losing the game for if Tejbir had netted a sitter just before scoring the goal, the result would have been different.

The draw meant that Pakistan won the series 3-1 after securing the away leg 3-0. India recovered to draw the fourth Test 1-1 in Lahore before winning in Faisalabad.

India’s sensational fightback should be food for thought for Pakistan who had more ball possession throughout the game with the defenders, apart from those 10 minutes, also doing well.

Indian captain Ignace Tirkey praised his players for their splendid performance. “Our forwards created problems for Pakistan and the defenders did well too.”