Walmiki puts Mumbai Varsity in semis

MUMBAI: Skipper Yuvraj Walmiki was in his elements as he hammered five goals, including a fine hat-trick, to steer University of Mumbai to a facile 8-2 victory over Jamia University, Delhi, in a quarterfinal match of the INK Infrastructure-West Zone and Inter-Zonal Inter-University Men’s Hockey Tournament, conducted by the M.M.K. College of Commerce and Economics, at the MHA-Mahindra stadium, Churchgate, on Friday.

Nitin Kumar gave the home side the perfect start as he sounded the boards with a firm hit from the top of circle in the 12th minute and four minutes later, Dharmendra Antil doubled the lead before Walmiki got into the scoring act.

Walmiki scored four goals in quick succession to put Mumbai firmly in the driver’s seat. He converted a penalty corner in the 19th minute and got his second and the team’s fourth goal in the 24th minute. The prolific goal scorer added two more immediately after the change of ends, scoring in the 39th and 41st minutes and netted his fifth goal in the 44th minute.

In between Boon D’Souza added his name to the scoresheet, finding the target in the 43rd minute. The Delhi lads reduced the margin when Sandeep Kumar scored in the 55th minute and Pawan Malik converted a penalty stroke.

In the semifinals, Mumbai will take on Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, who defeated V.B.S. Purvanchal University, Uttar Pradesh, by a solitary first half goal. Karanpal Singh converted a penalty corner in the 26th minute.

Madras University and Kurushetra University, Haryana will contest the second semi-final.

The Madras lads overcame M.G. Kashi University, Varanasi 3-2, while Kurushetra University, Haryana blanked S.R.M. University, Tamil Nadu 6-0.

Results (QF): University of Mumbai 8 (Yuvraj Walmiki 5, Nitin Kumar, Dharmendra Antil, Boon D’Souza) beat Jamia University, Delhi 2 (Sandeep Kumar, Pawan Malik); Madras University 3 (M Mohd Fazil, S Nantha Kumar, N Selva Kumar) beat M.G. Kashi University, Varanasi 2 (Md. Javed Ali, Abhishek Singh); Guru Nanak Dev University 1 (Karanpal Singh) beat V.B.S. Purvanchal University, Uttar Pradesh 0; Kurushetra University, Haryana 6 (Lakwinder Singh 3, Malak Singh 2, Sukhchin) beat S.R.M. University, Tamil Nadu 0.