Having completed all five of their matches, the Sanskardhani Strikers remain firmly in the race for the semi-finals of the Chhattisgarh Hockey League. Led by Olympian Shamsher, the team defeated the Mainpat Titans 4-0 today—marking the Titans’ first loss in five tournament matches.
Ashish Tani Purti scored a hat-trick, bringing his total tally for the tournament to 12 goals. The Strikers now hold a goal difference of +2, significantly boosting their chances of reaching the semi-finals. The situation for the Strikers is now clear: they need the Bailadila Bulls to either lose to the Chakradhar Champions, or, should the Bulls win, for the margin of victory to be less than four goals.
Sanskardhani began cautiously against the Titans, who boast the tournament’s strongest defensive line—having conceded only seven goals prior to this match. This was reflected in a goalless first quarter, which ended with the score at 0-0.
Early in the second quarter, Ashish opened the scoring for the Strikers with a powerful drag-flick that even Pradeep Mor could not stop. Although further opportunities arose, they were not converted, leaving the score at 1-0 in favor of the Strikers.
In the third quarter, Ashish struck again in similar fashion—his 11th goal of the season, cementing his status as one of the tournament’s most successful players. Ashish did not stop there; he converted another penalty corner, leaving the Titans’ defense with no answer.
In the final moments of the match, the Strikers also managed to score a field goal; Shahrukh provided the pass, and Om Kumar Yadav put the ball into the goal. Despite this defeat, Mainpat has already reached the semi-finals and remains a strong contender for a spot in the final.