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Punjab & Sind Bank dashed Indian Oil’s hopes of regaining the crown when they put it across them by the odd goal in three to clinch the 30th Servo Indian Oil 30th All-India Surjit Singh Memorial hockey tournament at the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium, Burlton Park in Jallandhar.
The bankmen derived a lot of inspiration from their captain and India discard Sarvanjit Singh as they held sway of the early proceedings. Sarvanjit gave Punjab & Sind Bank the lead in the first minute of play to throw the onus on Indian Oil to mount a fightback.
Punjab & Sind Bank, who topped Pool D before getting the better of formidable of ONGC, Delhi 3-2 in the semifinals, went for broke and kept the Indian Oil defence under pressure.
Indian Oil strived hard to come back into the contest, but they had to wait until the 27th minute for Sunil Yadav to convert a penalty corner as both teams went into half-time with a 1-1 scoreline.
Both teams went all out in pursuit of moving ahead, and Indian Oil muffed a great scoring opportunity when Vikash Sharma bungled a penalty stroke.
The match was marred by unbecoming behavior from Olympian Prabhjot Singh, who refused to leave the field after being red-carded for arguing and abusing umpire GS Sangha and even showing the stick to him, as the contest was halted for twenty minutes.
The tournament’s technical committee had to intervene before Prabhjot finally left the pitch.
The incident seemed to affect Indian Oil as PSB looked promising in the closing stages and even forced a penalty stroke.
Sarvanjit Singh coolly converted it in the 66th minute to facilitate a 2-1 win for the bankmen.
Punjab & Sind Bank took home a purse of Rs 5 lakh besides the glittering trophy.
Sarvanjit Singh was named the best player of the tournament and received a cash award of Rs 25,000.
This was Punjab & Sind Bank’s seventh Surjit hockey crown and they had finished runners-up nine times as well.
Indian has finished runners-up for the fourth time. The oilmen have won the Surjit hockey tournament thrice.
