- Yuvraj Walmiki’s hat-trick downs Sanskardhani Strikers; Chakradhar Champions move to the top of the points table
The excitement of the Chhattisgarh Hockey League is intensifying. In the second match of the league’s second day, Chakradhar Champions defeated Sanskardhani Strikers 6–4. Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare, Shri Arun Saw, was present to watch the match and encouraged the players from both teams.
The match began with a brilliant performance by experienced Indian international S.V. Sunil. When Chakradhar Champions were struggling to create opportunities, a well-timed pass from the midfield reached Yuvraj Walmiki inside the circle; he took a shot and scored on the rebound. Just a minute later, Chakradhar Champions created another scoring opportunity. Arjun Yadav snatched the ball from a Sanskardhani Strikers defender just outside the circle and passed it toward the goalpost, where Kartik Yadav dived to extend the lead to 2–0.
In the second quarter, it did not take long for Chakradhar Champions to score their third goal. This came via a penalty corner—a sophisticated combination play where the drag-flicker passed the ball to Sunil, who then set it up for Walmiki to guide it into the goal.
Despite these setbacks, the Sanskardhani Strikers managed to pull one back in the same quarter when Shahrukh scored on a rebound. Goalkeeper Vaibhav Singh Chandel could not stop the powerful strike from inside the circle. Things took a turn for the worse for the Strikers when goalkeeper Aditya Kumar Netam conceded a foul while attempting a tackle against Kartik. As a result, Valmiki was awarded a penalty stroke, which he converted into another goal.
The third quarter proved to be a complete turnaround for Sanskardhani Strikers, as they added two more goals. The first was a field goal by Shahrukh, while the second came from a penalty stroke by Shamsher, bringing the score to 4–3. In the fourth quarter, Chakradhar Champions threw everything they had into the attack. Manish scored with a brilliant deflection inside the circle—a goal that effectively dashed any remaining hopes for the Strikers. Another penalty corner provided Sunil’s team with yet another scoring opportunity; this time, Valmiki capitalized on a rebound to net his third goal of the night. Shamsher then sealed the match with a field goal, setting the final score at 6–4. Shahrukh was named ‘Striker of the Match,’ while Valmiki was awarded ‘Player of the Match.’
- Mainpat Titans and Bailadila Bulls play out a tight 3–3 draw
Earlier, the Mainpat Titans and Bailadila Bulls played out a closely contested 3–3 draw. Pradeep Mor’s Mainpat Titans dominated the first two quarters, while Chinglensana Singh’s Bailadila Bulls held the upper hand in the final two. The Titans led by two goals at halftime, but Jaskaran Singh and Rahul Yadav orchestrated a comeback for their side when it seemed least expected. The contest was so evenly matched that both teams managed to score two goals each in the final minutes of the game. Prahlad received the ‘Striker of the Match’ award for his stellar performance, while Karan Dhanuk was named ‘Player of the Match.’