By Ijaz Chaudhry
Winter Hockey League - Prize giving ceremony
Olympic gold medallist Tauqeer Dar, the President of Dar Hockey Academy, is always on the move.
In collaboration with the Baba Guru Nanak Hockey Club, Nankana Sahib, the Dar Hockey Club organized a 7-a-side Winter Hockey League at the synthetic turf of APS Model High School, Model Town, Lahore.
The four-day event featured six teams. Apart from the four local teams, Dar HC, Pak Heroes HC, Billu Khan HC and Khawaja Junaid Hockey Academy, two sides from outside Lahore, Baba Guru Nanak HC, Nankana Sahib and Haji Basheer HC, Sheikhupura, participated.
The tournament regulations entailed each side’s 12–member squad to include two girls, with one girl on the pitch throughout the match.
The six teams were divided into two pools. After the pool matches on the first three days, the final and 3rd place playoff were played on the last day.
In the 3rd position fixture, Khawaja Junaid Academy defeated Billu Khan Club 3-2 in an exciting match.
The final between Dar Hockey Club and Pak Heroes also turned out to be an edge-of-the-seat encounter.
The tie ended 3-3 in the regulation time. Dar HC prevailed in the shootout thanks mainly to goalkeeper M.Adeel’s outstanding display.
The podium finishers walked away with the cash prizes. Dar HC: Rs 70,000, Pak Heroes: Rs 35,000, Khawaja Junaid Academy: Rs 20,000
Ijaz Chaudhry writes on hockey & other sports. For more about him & his work, visit http://www.sportscorrespondent.info