The 28-year-old striker has now to score three more goals to break the record of Dutchman Paul Litjens who holds the world record of 267 goals in 177 matches.

Pakistan's Rehan Butt broke even with India just three minutes before the close of play as the guests held sway in most of the second half in a match watched by a crowd of around 25,000.

Pakistan's other goal came from Akhtar Ali while India scored through Vikram Pillay, Sandeep Singh, Arjun Halappa and Ignace Tirkey in a match that exhibited some slick moves and goals.

The series, the first between the arch rivals since 1999, is led by Pakistan by two matches to one with the next leg of four matches scheduled to be held in India.

The Indian leg will comprise matches in New Delhi (October 4), Chandigarh (October 6), Amritsar (October 8) and Hyderabad (October 10).

"It's fantastic to be a part of another India-Pakistan series and although we would have liked to be on even terms considering the good games we have played in the series," said Indian captain Dilip Tirkey.

Pakistani coach Roelant Oltmans agreed Indian forwards fared better than the home team players in the series.

"Everyone knows they did not have five players who played in the Olympics so the new and young boys were fitter, skilfull and speedy," said Oltmans, the former Olympic and World Cup-winning Dutchman hired by Pakistan.

Pakistan won the first match in the southern port city of Karachi by 2-1 but India staged a comeback to take the second match by 4-1 at Quetta.

Pakistan won the third match at Peshawar by 3-2.

In the final match of four hosted by Pakistan, the home team opened through their first penalty corner when Abbas's rasping push hit the net in the 14th minute.

India, who missed their first penalty corner, came level when man of the match Halappa's try was rebounded to Pillay who secured India's equaliser in the 16th minute.

Both teams were locked at 1-1 at half time.

Right winger Halappa exposed the weak Pakistani defense with swift moves and earned India their third penalty corner in the 40th minute on which Sandeep Singh scored to give India a 2-1 lead.

Just three minutes later, Abbas fired his 265th goal in his 215th match to again bring the home team level.

Halappa once again caught the Pakistan defense napping and from the top of the circle put his team into the lead in the 50th minute and then gave a golden back pass to Ignace Tirkey who scored India's fourth goal in the 52nd minute.

Egged on by a vocal crowd, Pakistan unleashed an assault on the Indian goal and Ali scored the third off Pakistan's third penalty corner in the 58th minute and with three minutes to play Butt put home the fourth off a rebound from the fourth penalty corner.