Karnataka face ‘young’ Punjab
Sudheendra Tripathi
BHOPAL: Karnataka XI are in with a chance to create history, for they have never reached the final of the Senior National hockey championship. They quelled the challenge of mighty Air India in the quarterfinals and now take on Punjab in the semifinals on Saturday.
The team led by Amar Aiyamma will look to seize the early initiative. The Punjab outfit may lack experience, but it boasts of young, fresh legs – players with enthusiasm and speed. One person who knows what he is up against is Olympian Deepak Thakur. He may be turning out for Karnataka in the ongoing nationals, but he has grown up playing his hockey with the boys from the land of bhangra. “We can’t take them for granted. They have performed very well in this tournament. It will be imperative for us to take an early advantage and control the game thereafter,” Thakur told TOI on Friday.
As for Karnataka, in-form drag flicker VR Raghunath will be the key weapon. His lethal flicking ability was on display against Air India, where he scored twice, including the golden goal. So, if the Thakur-Prabhjot Singh forward duo can win a short corner early in the game, Raghunath can do the rest. At least that is what Karnataka would be hoping for.
Other than these three, Karnataka have solid performers in Hariprasad, Vikram Kanth and their skipper Aiyamma. They also have the ever-dependable Bharath Chhetri in the goal.