PQA defeat KESC 6-2, HBL beat SSGC 3-1, while PIA thrash PAF 7-2 in the national hockey championship.-File photo by APP
KARACHI Former Pakistan centre-forward Kashif Jawwad hammered a scintillating hat-trick to give Port Qasim Authority (PQA) a convincing 6-2 victory over KESC in the national hockey championship on Monday.

PQA got off to a flying start when they opened the scoring through Muhammad Imran goal in the second minute of the game. KESC were jolted when the winners doubled their lead just two minutes later when Maznoor Ahmad found the cage.

KESC recovered to reduce the margin with a penalty stroke conversion by Aleem Bilal in the 20th minute. In came four-goal Kashif to bolster his side, slamming home the first one to make it 3-1 just two minutes before the halftime.

KESC, however, once again posed a challenge when Salman Khan cut the deficit in the 38th minute. But the losing side couldn't face the PQA onslaught when overweight but experienced discarded Pakistan spearhead Kashif grabbed his second in the 50th minute and then in the 62nd minute.

Utilising his vast international experience, Olympian Kashif completed his treble in style scooping the ball up into the net a minute before the end.

Habib Bank outplayed SSGC 3-1 in a match marred by an ugly incident involving a red card to Moahmmad Javaid of the losing side for hitting umpire over a decision.

Javaid objected over a penalty corner decision by umpire Haider Rasool in the first minute of the game. The umpire consulted his colleague Ghufran who upheld the decision. Haider told the players he took the decision after consulting the other umpire, but Javaid kept arguing for which umpired showed him green card and then a yellow for dissent and using foul language.

In a fit of anger, Javaid swung his stick twice, injuring Haider for which he was shown a red card by the umpire.

As the player went berserk and was out of control, assistant umpires' manager Saeed Ahmad went into the ground to control the situation and admonished Javaid while technical officer Qadeer Ahmad and field jury members remained silent spectators. It was only after Saeed's warnings and dressing down that Javaid return to senses.

Hit by Javaid and shaken, Haider also left the field and reserve umpire Zulfiqar Hussain supervised the match replacing the injured umpire.

HBL went 1-0 up in the 22nd minute through Rizwan Khan before his effort was cancelled out by Abbas Haider.

The bankers once again went ahead, this time when Rana Zubair found the target in the 53rd minute, while discarded but skillful Pakistan junior forward Adeel Hussain completed the tally with a 58th-minute strike.

Helped by three goals by Kashif Ali, PIA whipped minnows PAF 7-2.

Kashif gave the national airlines a perfect start when he fired home twice in the third and eighth minutes on penalty corners. Shafqat Rasool grabbed the third in the 11th minute, while Muhammad Zubair made it 4-0 in the 42nd minute.

Inayatullah was on target two minutes later, while Kashif slotted home another short corner four minutes later for score his third. PIA wrapped up with another Zubair goal in the 57th minute.

PAF fought back but all they got were goals by Barkat Ali and Zeeshan in the 58th and 61st minutes.

Tuesday's fixtures

KESC v Navy at 1.30pm; PIA v Wapda at 3.00pm; NBP v Army at 4.45pm.

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