LAHORE, Jan 18: Wapda, National Bank of Pakistan, Punjab Colours and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) qualified for the semi-finals of the National U-21 Hockey Championships as the pool matches ended at the National Hockey Stadium here on Wednesday.

Two-goal Mohammad Suleman helped Wapda beat Punjab Whites 3-1 in their last match. Suleman drew the first blood in the 15th minute scoring a field goal and then he doubled the lead five minutes later with another field attempt. On offensive, Wapda surged ahead 3-0 when Tassawar Hussain hit a field goal in the dying minute of the first half. After the resumption, Jawad Riaz (70th) converted a penalty-corner but only to reduce the lead for Punjab Whites.

Two-goal Mohammad Kashif Javed helped National Bank of Pakistan beat PHF Academy 2-0. He cashed in on penalty-corner in the 22nd and 45th minutes.

Punjab Colours carved out 2-0 win against Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC). However, both entered the last four.

Their skipper Muhammad Mushtaq (47th) and Abdullah Babar (70th) were the scorers.

Army also outplayed Railways 3-1, thanks to two-goal Sahroaz Ghori, in a match, which has no bearing on the semi-finals line-up.

Railways took the lead first when Khurram Sarwar converted a short-corner in the 20th minute. But the lead remained in tact for just five minutes as Army restored the parity through their captain Fawad Ahmed, who converted a penalty-corner in the 25th minute, as the first half ended at 1-1 all. In the second half, the soldiers remained on front seat due to Sahroaz's strike, who banged home in the 58th and 63rd minutes after making solo field efforts.

Semi-finals scheudle: 1st Semi-final: Wapda vs SSGC.

2nd Semi-final: NBP vs Punjab (C).

Opinion

Editorial

On press freedoms
Updated 03 May, 2026

On press freedoms

THE citizenry forgets, to its own peril, how important a free and independent media is in the preservation of their...
Inflation strain
03 May, 2026

Inflation strain

PAKISTAN’S return to double-digit inflation after 21 months signals renewed economic strain where external shocks...
Troubled waters
03 May, 2026

Troubled waters

PAKISTAN’S water crisis is often framed in terms of scarcity. Increasingly, it is also a crisis of contamination....
Iran stalemate
Updated 02 May, 2026

Iran stalemate

THE US and Iran are currently somewhere between war and peace. While a tenuous ceasefire — extended largely due to...
Tax shortfall
02 May, 2026

Tax shortfall

THE Rs684bn shortfall in tax collection during the first 10 months of the fiscal year is a continuation of a...
Teaching inclusion
02 May, 2026

Teaching inclusion

DISCRIMINATORY and exclusionary content in Punjab’s textbooks has been flagged in Inclusive Education for a United...