SNBP All-India University Hockey: Huge Win for Bangalore City University

Bangalore City University, Bengaluru rode on hat-tricks from Vasant Y Gokavi Kumar (4 goals), Haresh Mutagar (4 goals), Pranam YM Gowda (4 goals) and Pavan FM (3 goals) to bulldoze Parul University, Vadodara 19-1 in a Pool B tie of the the SNBP 28th Nehru All-India Inter-University Hockey Tournament (Inter-Zonal Final) at the Major Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium, Nehrunagar, Pimpri, Pune. The tournament is being conducted in collaboration with the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), under the aegis of Hockey India. This is the first time that Pune is hosting this tournament.

The Bangalore City University lads, who were runners-up in the 2021 edition, held sway from the starting hooter and lapped up a five-goal cushion in the first fifteen minutes of play as they took an imposing 9-1 lead at half-time. BN Sridhar struck a brace, while Deepak DR Yadav and R Punith scored one goal each. In another Pool B game, Kurukshetra University pulled off a late goal from Agyapal to hold Sambhalpur University, Sambhalpur 2-2.

Meanwhile, Vejendra Singh slammed a fine hat-trick to power Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University, (VBSP), Jaunpur to a 5-3 win over Laxshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE), Gwalior in a Pool A tie. In another Pool A tie, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar disposed off Manonmaniam Sundarnar University, Tirunelveli 5-2.

It may be worth recalling that sixteen universities, comprising of the Top-4 finishers from the Intra Zonals (North, South, East and West) are taking part in the 11-day tourney – the top eight finishers (quarterfinalists) will qualify for the Khelo India University Games 2022, to be held in Bengaluru.