Malaysia failed to make the final of the AHF Champions Trophy despite defeating defending champions India 5-3 in a pulsating match in Doha.
Pakistan had defeated Japan 5-2 thus setting Malaysia a target of winning by six goals against defending champions India to book a place in the final.
And Malaysia came within two goals as they raced to a 4-0 lead by the 38th minute. However in their haste to get the elusive two goals they left gaps in defence that allowed India to score three goals.
In the end the Malaysians will have to reflect on their 2-1 defeat at the hands of China that sticks out like a sore thumb as a win would have given them the final berth.
India and Pakistan will play in the final while Malaysia will get a chance to exact revenge against China in the bronze medal playoff on Thursday.
For the record Malaysia finished third last year in Ordos where India pipped Pakistan on penalties o take the title.
Malaysia dominated the early exchanges but could not turn it into goals.
But all that changed in a ten minute spell as Fitri Saari put Malaysia 1-0 up in the 18th minute. Azlan Misron made it 2-0 in the 20th minute, turning in a penalty corner.
And India were shocked again as Fitri scored his second and Malaysia's third in the 27th minute to give Malaysia a 3-0 lead.
Though India forced two penalty corners in the 32nd and 35th minutes, they failed to make a decent attempt at goal.
Faisal Saari then got into the scoring act, finding the mark in the 38th minute to make it 4-0, and Malaysia were within two goals of making the final.
Birendra Lakra however pulled one back for India in the 47th minute thus setting up an interesting final 20 minutes of the match.
SV Sunil reduced the deficit to just two goals scoring India's second in the 62nd minute before defender VR Ragunath scored a penalty corner in the very next minute to make it 4-3.
Although Azammi Abadi scored Malaysia's fifth in the 68th minute, it ended up only as a sensational victory as Malaysia had lost the chance, no thanks to the China defeat.
In an earlier match China defeated Oman 7-1.
