Badshahs throw Comets out of orbit

Vaibhav Sharma

Players from Chandigarh Comets (Blue) and Bhopal Badshahs vie for the ball during their match for the World Series Hockey in Chandigarh on Wednesday. Badhshahs won 4-3. Tribune photo: S Chandan
Chandigarh, February 29

The drama, the controversies and the delay notwithstanding, finally the World Series Hockey started at the Sector 42 stadium here tonight. The news of Indian players pulling out seemed to have had an impact as the intensity was somewhat lacking, but this is sport, and the politics aside, on-field action was good enough to warrant attention.

And it was the Bhopal Badshahs who wrapped up the first win by beating Chandigarh Comets 4-3 in a see-saw of a contest.

The match started with the Badshahs striking in the 4th minute itself as Laxman Baskaran scored off a penalty corner (1-0). The first quarter then witnessed a rather cagey affair, with neither team being dominant. But the Comets hit back in the 3rd minute of the second quarter as Gurjinder drilled in a low shot from a penalty corner, which despite brushing off the keeper, went in to restore parity. From there on, the action picked up, and went on till the last minute.

Chandigarh then took the lead in the 10th minute of the second quarter, when Jasjit struck off another penalty corner, and made it 2-1 to the home team. But both teams were not done and after playing out rather timid second quarter, they picked up their game subsequently.

The last quarter saw a lot of activity, with end results as well as the goals flew in thick and fast. Gayle struck in the 4th minute to make it 2-2, only for Gurjinder to get back the lead for Comets a minute later.

It was looking like the teams were heading for a draw, but first Yousuf Affan in the 5th minute and then Laxman Bhaskaran in the 8th, scored the equaliser and the winner, to wrap up all three points for the Badshahs.