
NEW DELHI, December 3: Punjab XI from Pakistan began their campaign in the ninth Lal Bahadur Shastri hockey tournament on a disasterous note when they lost 2-4 to Air India in the quarter-final league at National Stadium here today.
In other matches, Bharat Petroleum upset Punjab and Sind Bank 3-2 while Nehru Cup winners Border Security Force were held to a 1-1 draw by Northern Railway.
Air India, with several internationals in their ranks, surged ahead in the 14th minute through Edward Aranha and two minutes later increased the tally when Gagan Ajit Singh scored the second goal.
Punjab XI struck back in the 19th minute with skipper Mohd. Khalid making no mistake in converting the stroke.
Five minutes into the second half, Air India again raised their tally with kishore Kumar making it 3-1. Edward Aranha scored his second and the team8217;s fourth goal to complete the tally in the 66th minute.
A minute later Pakistan reduced the margin through Ijaz Ahmed who converted a penalty corner.
Border Security Force surged ahead in their match against Northern railway when Bismabir Singh scored in the 33rd minute. They held on to the lead till the 67th minute when Northern Railway found the equaliser through Parmod Kmar. The Railways failed to cash in on the four penalty corners they earned in the match.
BPCL came back from a goal down to upset Punjab and Sind Bank in their league encounter. PSB took the lead in the sixth minute through Baljit Singh but BPCL drew level 13 minutes later with a goal from S Bishnoi who converted a penalty corner, the third earned by the team. BPCL went ahead in the 30th minute, Bishnoi again converting a penalty corner.
Amar Aimmya put BPCL 3-1 in the 59th minute but Sanjeev Kumar reduced the margin for PSB in the very next minute.