KARACHI: Defending champions National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) along with two Wapda teams completed the last-four lineup while former champions PIA bowed out of the 65th retired Air Marshal Nur Khan National Hockey Championship at the Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium on Thursday.

NBP, who finished runners-up in Pool ‘A’ behind Army, scored a solitary goal victory over Navy in their quarter-final.

Abu Bakar scored the all important goal off first penalty corner in the seventh minute. The bankers failed to score further despite earning five more penalty corners.

Navy, who topped Pool ‘D’, put up tough resistance by retaliating to get three penalty corners but it proved fruitless.

The match was also marred by injuries to at least two NBP players Kashif Javed and Arsalan Qadir. According to the Hilal-e-Ahmer paramedic official Abdul Hameed, the former was rushed to a nearby hospital where four stitches were inserted on his head. Arsalan suffered a bruise below one of his eyes.

Earlier, last-gasp goal by Adnan Anwar enabled Wapda Whites thump Army 5-4 in a tall-scoring quarter-final.

Army enjoyed edge over their opponents for most part of the match and were 4-3 up in third quarter. However, back-to-back goals by Adnan in the last quarter turned the tide in their favour.

Rana Waheed, Shahzab and Shazer Rehman netted one goal each for Wapda Whites.

Abdul Jabbar struck two goals while Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Afzal netted once for Army.

In the third quarter-final, Wapda stunned ex-champions PIA 3-2, courtesy of a last-minute goal by Haleem Usman that enabled his team to inch closer towards laying their hands on the crown.

The match was heading for a draw when Haleem struck his second goal seconds before the final hooter.

At the outset, Samiullah drew first blood for Wapda in the second minute. Abid Bhatti then scored a brace for PIA.

In the last match SSGC sent Army Whites packing 5-0 to stay in contention for the title.

Mubashir Ali excelled with a hat-trick by converting first three penalty corners in the opening quarter while Ghazanfar and Abbas Haider added one apiece to the tally.

Meanwhile, the organisers have revised the dates for the semi-finals and final. According to the revised programme, the semi-finals will be now played on Sunday following a two-day rest.

The final will be played on Monday.

Wapda Whites take on NBP in the first semi-final at 2:00pm while SSGC face Wapda in the second at 4:00pm.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2019