GURJINDER’S BRACE GIVES PETROLEUM SPORTS PROMOTION BOARD GLITTRING DIAMOND JUBILEE NEHRU HOCKEY CUP

Railways Sports Promotion Board lost 0-2 in the final played at Shivaji stadium

Winners Petroleum Sports Promotion Board with the glittering Diamond Jubilee SNBP-Nehru Hockey Cup.

Khel Today Bureau

New Delhi:The final match of the Nehru Cup, India’s top domestic hockey tournament, was played without much fight on Saturday at Shivaji Stadium. Scoreboard showing 0-0 till the end of three quarters and 45 minutes. At this, Professor Avinash Singh, a sports journalist now attached with the Nehru Hockey Society as Head  Corporate Communications, urged the players of both teams to ‘show some action,’ and one team that responded with a goal in three minutes was the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board.

Devendra Walmiki, Captain of Petroleum Sports Promotion Board with the Diamond Jubilee Nehru Hockey Gold Cup. 

Two last quarter goals ( 48′ and 54′), both through penalty corner conversions by defender Gurjinder Singh steered Petroleum Sports Promotion Board to lift the glittering Diamond Jubilee SNBP-Nehru Hockey Cup.

They beat Railways Sports Promotion Board 2-0. Playing goalless game for 45 minutes, action was infused by Tejas Chavan and Vishal Pandey by making concerted raids from both the wings.

The resultant penalty corners on both occasions were encashed by Gurjinder Singh, who was also declared the man of the tournament.

The match was umpired by Raghu Prasad a veteran of three Olympics, as many Asian Games and four World Cups. He was declared the umpire of the decade and was awarded a cheque of Rs.50K and a trophy in memory of Sardar Gian Singh, late father of Mr Kukoo Walia. Mr Sanjay Bhatia was adjuged as the best umpire of the tournament and was presented with a cheque of Rs 11k by Dr Vikas Rajput.

The majestic gold trophy apart, the winners bagged a cheque of Rs 5.51L presented by the office-bearers of Club 21 Mr Gurinder S Dhillon and Mr Agyapaul Singh. The runners-up trophy alongside a cheque of Rs 2.51L was presented by Mr Raj Bhatia, MD of Bony Polymers. The ceremony was chaired by Lt Gen M P Singh, DG Supplies and Transport.

Prizes of Rs 25K each were given to best forward, half back, defender and best goalkeeper by Mr Rajiv Sethi, CMD Kalinga Premium Wires and Cables, Mr Vinod Sawhney , MD Accent Overseas and Mr Dinesh Sood , Co-founder Orane International. Mr Sawney and Mr Sood were represented by Mr Rupak Seth and Ms Anju Sharma.

Two of the leading teams of the country, played insipid hockey to begin with.First two sessions had ball restricted to midfield and was bereft of any penalty corners. Railways forwards Pradeep, Simarjot and Darshan Gawkar were subdued. Pratap Lakra was off colour too. Gursahibjit Singh missed a sitter in the 46th minute for Railways.

Most of the thrill was reserved for the final session when both sides pressed for a goal. Gurjinder, not doing too well as a defender, scored both the goals through penalty corners to become top scorer of the tournament.