KARACHI: The YMCA and Police Boys Hockey Club chalked up victories over their respective opponents in the Late Olympian Munawwar-uz-Zaman Veteran’s Hockey League in the floodlights at the Olympian Iftikhar Syed Sports Academy (OISSA) on Tuesday evening.

YMCA, that has served as an active sporting centre of the city before its conversion into marriage lawns, scored a solitary goal victory over Gulberg Hockey Club.

Inside left Waseeq scored the all important goal in the third quarter of the match.

In another match, Police Boys carved out 2-0 victory over Nazimabad Mujahid Hockey Club. Inside left M. Anwar and inside right M. Khaliq netted one goal apiece for the winners. Both the goals came in the second quarter of the match.

Earlier, match between the OISSA and AO Club marked the formal opening of the event which has been organised by the Karachi Hockey Association (KHA).

The match ended in a goalless draw.

Mrs. Tehsin Munawwar-uz-Zaman, wife of the legendary full-back Munawwar-uz-Zaman, played a shot to inaugurate the event.

Accompanied by her daughters, son-in-laws and grand children, she became emotional while visiting the hockey field after a very long time.

The inauguration ceremony was attended among others by the KHA president Dr Junaid Ali Shah, chairman Gulfraz Khan, secretary Haider Hussain, former Olympians Iftikhar Syed, Waseem Feroz and Mansoor Ahmed and Raziq H. Rabbani.

The matches are being played over 30-minutes, three quarters of 10-minutes each with a five-minute break between them.

A number of former Olympians and celebrities of the yore, who were role models for youth in their hey days have returned to the field and can be seen in action, Prominent among them include Islahuddin, Iftikhar Syed, Hanif Khan, Waseem Feroz, Farhat Khan, Ayaz Mahmood, Saleem Sherwani, Nasir Ali and Anis Ahmed.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2017