Champions IA grounded

Indian OIL will lock horns with Punjab and Sind Bank in the title clash of the 61st senior National hockey championship.In the semifinals, I...

Indian OIL will lock horns with Punjab and Sind Bank in the title clash of the 61st senior National hockey championship.

In the semifinals, Indian Oil, fuelled by internationals Deepak Thakur and Prabhjot Singh, grounded star-studded Indian Airlines while PSB made it to the final aided by a Navpreet Singh brace at the Gachibowli Hockey Complex here today.

Holders Airlines had their dreams of shattered in the first 15 minutes of the game itself. Indian Oil scored three goals while Airlines missed a penalty stroke during the period.

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Deepak Thakur gave early shock to Airlines scoring in the 2nd minute of a free hit from outside the ‘D’. Prabhjot Singh emerged at the scene to hit the second goal for Indian Oil in the 5th minute.

Thakur, after getting a pass from Kamlesh Kumar Singh, successfully netted his second goal.

With Arjun Halappa failing to score of a penalty stroke in the 12th minute, Airlines had themselves to blame for the debacle. Arjun’s stroke hit the post. Umpire Suresh Bhatia had awarded the stroke to Airlines after Indian Oil’s Sunil Yadav stopped a goal bound shot through his leg.

Results: IA 1 (Dhanraj Pillay) lost to IOC 4 (Deepak Thakur 2, Prabhjot Singh 2); PSB 2(Navpreet Singh 2) bt Services 1(CS Xalxo)

While aboard INS Vikrant, the Prime Minister had a packed schedule of engagements, officials said.

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