September 06, 2007	Thursday	Sha'aban 23, 1428

KARACHI, Sept 5: Two-goal Mohammad Atiq helped National Bank (NBP) Whites overcome the KESC 4-2 in the opening match of the All-Pakistan Shaheed-i-Millat Liaquat Ali Khan hockey tournament at the UBL Sports Complex on Wednesday.

The bankers didn’t miss their penalty corner specialist Imran Warsi, currently representing Pakistan at the Asia Cup in Chennai, as Atiq pumped in twice to help his side secure full points.

Atiq opened up the bankers’ account with a short corner drill in the 18th minute before Haseem Khan doubled the lead in the 22nd minute.

Still trying to recover, the KESC received a third jolt when the NBP Whites grabbed their third through Sibtain Raza in the 27th minute.

The KESC finally woke up after the break to reduce the margin two minutes into the second session when Amir found the target. It seemed the KESC would be making things difficult for the bankers as Irfan Ali struck in the 63rd minute for the second to make it 3-2.

However, Atiq netted the second just two minutes before the final whistle which allowed the bankers to walk away as easy winners.

In a one-sided match, four-goal Shakeel Ahmad propelled the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) to a massive 8-1 victory over Karachi at the Hockey Club of Pakistan.

The PQA got off to a flying start as Shakeel rattled the local outfit with back-to-back strikes in the 16th and 17th minutes.

The winners were 5-0 up at halftime as they slammed home three more. Samiullah had his name on to the scoresheet in the 23rd minute, while Shakeel slotted home in the 28th minute and then three minutes before the halftime whistle.

Discarded and overweight Pakistan spearhead Kashif Jawwad chipped in with a goal in the 39th minute for the PQA but only on a penalty corner, and not as a field effort.

Wasif Raza slammed home the seventh for the winners in the 42nd minute, while the 59th minute saw Karachi score their consolation goal through Allay Hassan on a deflection.

The PQA completed the tally three minutes before time when Imran Khan banged home.

Thursday’s fixtures:

Wapda v Navy at 3.00pm; PIA v POF at 4.30pm; PQA v HBL at 3.00pm; NBP Whites v Steel Mills at 4.30pm.