Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif Youth Talent Hunt Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Men Hockey League got underway here at Astro-Turf of the historical Islamia College Peshawar on Thursday.
Director Distance Studies University of Peshawar Dr. Noor Zada was the chief guest who formally inaugurated the Provincial League. Secretary KP Hockey Association Haji Hidayat Ullah, Coordinator for Hockey international player Waqar Ahmad, Technical Judges Sajid Khan and international Zia ur Rehman Binori, and Haroon Khan, representative of the Higher Education Commission, players officials and a large number of spectators were also present.
Before the start of the matches on the opening day, the teams from Swat (Swat Green and Swat White), Bannu, Hazara, Mardan and host Peshawar were introduced to the chief guest.
It is worth mentioning here that the Prime Minister Youth Talent Hunt League was first organized in five Regions including Swat, Mardan, Hazara, Bannu and Peshawar and after trials one team each qualified for the Provincial League. Swat Region has given two teams on the request to Higher Education Commission (HEC).
In the first match Bannu recorded a one-sided victory against Swat Green by 4-0. In the 23rd minute star full-back of Bannu Hassan Ullah gave a key lead through an excellent penalty corner conversion by making 1-0 lead.
His excellent push did not give rival goal-keeper any chance to stop and in the 27th minute he scored another goal through penalty corner conversion to make the tally 2-0. Nadeem Khan in the 47th and Saqib Junior in the 57th minute were the goal scorers through field attempts. Thus Bannu won the match by 4-0.
For Bannu goal-keeper Kaleem, forwards Zeeshan, Afanan, Manan, Mujeeb, Faizan, interna-tional Saeed Ullah and Saqib Ameer played while for Swat goal-keeper Zeeshan Abbas saved three goal-scoring attempts. Yasir Ali, Sharjeel, Mujeebur Rehman, Shah Fahad, Umair and Nawab Ali played well but failed to score any goal.
In the second match Mardan beat Swat White 5-1 in another one-sided match. For Mardan Huzaifa, Aimal, Kashif, Shahzeb and Hamza scored one goal each. The other four goals scored on the field attempt while full-back Hamza scored on the penalty corner conversion while for Swat Muhammad Ilyas reduced the margin through field attempts.
In the last match of the day’s proceedings, super-fit Peshawar defeated Hazara by 3-0 in a one-sided match. Peshawar fully dominated the proceedings and did not allow Hazara Region to strike back. Hazara got three consecutive penalty corners in the 7th, 9th and 13th minute of the first quarter but failed to score any goal.—APP
