BENGALURU: Quarter-final matches witnessed some breath-taking performance as Railway Sports Promotion Board, Central Industrial Security Force, Services Sports Control Board and Petroleum Sports Promotion Board won their respective games to book their berth in the Semi-Finals of the 3rd Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship 2023.
Railway Sports Promotion Board defeated All India Police Sports Control Board 3-2 in the first quarter-final to advance to the Semi-Finals. Varinder Singh (21') opened the scoring for the All India Police Sports Control Board, who was quickly followed by Balwinder Singh (42'). However, it was Railway Sports Promotion Board's Yuvraj Walmiki (32', 49', 52') who stole the show with an excellent hat-trick towards the end of the game, as he single-handedly took the game away from his opponents.
The Central Industrial Security Force faced off against Punjab National Bank in the second match of the day. Both teams managed to tie the score at the end of the game with a score of 3-3, but it was the Central Industrial Security Force that advanced to the Semi-Finals with a 3-2 Shoot-out victory. Nithin (12') scored the first goal of the game for Central Industrial Security Force in the first quarter, but Mandeep Mor (29',49') and Sanjay (34') scored crucial goals for Punjab National Bank to put them ahead of their opponents. Vashudev (53') and Yograj Singh (55') aided the Central Industrial Security Force in a last-ten-minute comeback to tie the game 3-3 before the final whistle. Later in the shoot-out, Ranvir Singh, Yograj Singh, and Vishajit Singh were on the target while Gurjot Singh stood tall to book their berth in the Semi-Finals.
In the third match of the day, Services Sports Control Board registered a comfortable 9-2 win over I.T.B.P. Central Hockey Team. Pawan Rajbhar (2', 14', 26') and Harman Singh (51', 52', 55') were the stand out performers for their side as they smashed a hat-trick in the first and second half respectively. Sunny Malik (16'), Sanjay Toppo (30') and Ajinkya Jadhav (49') also scored one goal each at regular intervals to take the game away from I.T.B.P. Central Hockey Team. Meanwhile, Jaswinder Singh (10') and Punit Kumar Singh (50') were on target for I.T.B.P. Central Hockey Team.
Food Corporation of India and Petroleum Sports Promotion Board met in the last Quarter-Final match. Both teams displayed outstanding skills and managed to tie the game 3-3 at the end of the fourth quarter. Munish Rana (30'), Ankush (47') and Abhishek Gandhi (57') scored one goal each for the Food Corporation of India. In reply, Sumit Kumar (32'), Ankit Pal (41') and Talwinder Singh (43') scored one goal each for Petroleum Sports Promotion Board. In the Shoot-out, Maninder Singh, Talwinder Singh, Captain Devindar Sunil Walmiki and Vikramjit Singh were on the target while Pankaj Kumar Rajak stood tall as Petroleum Sports Promotion Board progressed to the next round.
Semi-Final Lineup-
Match 1: Railway Sports Promotion Board vs Central Industrial Security Force (2 p.m)
Match 2: Services Sports Control Board vs Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (4 p.m)