KARACHI, Dec 3: Habib Bank Limited (HBL) beat Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) 4-3 to reach the final of the NBP Junior Hockey Cup at the Hockey Club of Pakistan on Wednesday evening.

HBL will now face official sponsors National Bank of Pakistan in the final to be played under floodlights at the same venue at 6.30pm on Friday.

The second semi-final saw the bankers taking a big lead first only to see their efforts being neutralized by the airliners. HBL opened score through a penalty corner, converted by their fullback Raana Zubair, in the 16th minute to lead by 1-0 at halftime.

A field goal by right-in Shahbaz Ahmed in the 40th minute changed the score line to 2-0 and centre-forward Azlan Khan added another in the 45th minute while also bringing his own individual tally to 12 goals. He is now the event’s leading scorer.

The 49th and 53rd minutes saw PIA coming back into the game by utilising two penalty corners. Fullback Kashif Ali was successful in converting both. And parity was restored in the 59th minute by right-in Inayatullah.

The decider happened in the 62nd minute when HBL’s centre-half Shahzad Ali’s field goal won the match for his side.

The encounter was supervised by umpires Hanifuddin and Takreem Iftikhar.