What a day, what a hockey: Ultimately its Shers Vs Strykers in WSH
We expected Shers will be in, and no clue of other semifinalist. The first one went in the predicted line but the other one went on to prove why hockey is such a vibrant sport which it is.
Sunday, the first April, staged the semifinals of WSH, as the month-long event meanders to fitting finish. Each was class of its own.
Individual brilliance of Sher-e-Punjab dashed the hopes of host Karnataka Lions in the first semis while lucky entrant to the knock out, Pune Strykers, fought doggedly in the 70 minutes play to come back from 1-4 to 4-4 and then again 0-2 to 3-2 in the tie break to make it to the Monday final dramatically.
Surprised to witness full stands in Bangalore, with wide profile of fans, families, youngsters, besides average Indians assemble for a league semis.
Host Karnataka Lions struck first but then the other Lion, meaning Shers, went ahead and clawed back to the game, to trounce them 1-4.
The packed stands might have been disappointed on two counts; not only their city team did not click when needed, but also its failure to create adequate penalty corners as they expected their messiah Len Aiyappa to do the rest.
Indeed the Lions know the importance of penalty corners, they went for it. Got two before the lemon time, but lacked nerves, their drill fell short of perfection. Arjun Antil fumbled in pushing the first, and then another Arjun, Halappa, failed to stop the pushed ball in the second. Later, when the fate of the match was determined against their favour, the last one came but charger Harpal Singh would not allow any leeway for now frustrated Len.
Shers, as usual relied on field goals, and when the magic man Prabhjot is around it should not be a problem either.
Stormy petrel Prabhjot first saw his forehand that found home failed with the third umpire. And then when he earned a hard penalty stroke of all the persons Mathew Hotchkis messed it up. Then Prabhjot took it on himself to assume the role of striker, and with a solo that stunned not only the crowd and the Lions too. Then he had the luxury, as three of his peers too were on the scoreboard.
The success mantra of Shers was not to give Len any chance and with that they won the penultimate battle.
Comets, the pool toppers, were good enough to go 4-1 ahead and then, woefully, lower their guard.
The two men – Bikash Toppo and Roshan Minze – had other ideas. They had enough of seeing only Mario Almada working upfield, bringing penalty corners or coming close to striking.
When the birthday boy Gurjinder Singh struck off only the first chance he got in the penalty corners, and then three others joining him, it appeared there is no fight left for the Strykers.
They replied in style, the last goal coming out of the third penalty corner they got at the stroke of hooter. Simranjeet Singh, who replaced otherwise great going Gurpreet Singh, clicked with a grounder to extend the match to one-on-one tie break.
The final slot was still wide and open as it was 70 minutes ago.
Then came the dramatic turn. Ramandeep Singh missed even after beating goalie Gurpreet Singh, Sukhwinder Singh did the same and then the captain Rehan Butt in a must convert situation fumbled against body kick of custodian Gurpreet Singh.
It’s a great day of hockey, as both the centre had full stands, and the matches rose to the expectations.
Hockey in India again won, though a day left for the WSH to come to its glorious end, on Monday.