Ajinkya Jadhav’s excellent finishing helped the roving forward notch a timely hat-trick and play the starring role in a 4-1 win for Indian Navy (Mumbai) over South Central Railway (Secunderabad) in the title clash of the MHAL-organised 54th Bombay Gold Cup hockey championship, at the MHAL stadium, Churchgate.
Navy’s Jaspal Singh, Aakib Raahim and Ajinkya Jadhav won the best defender, best midfielder and best forward awards, respectively. SCR’s Sushant Tirkey claimed the best goalkeeper award, worth ₹5000 each. The champion received the Gold Cup and a cheque worth ₹1.5 lakh and the runners-up got a cheque for ₹1 lakh.
Jadhav’s hat-trick came in the third and fourth quarters. SCR struck first with a top of the circle reverse hit by Raju Pal. The 67th Inter-Services champion side, Indian Navy, equalised via Jugraj Singh. Both goals came in the first quarter, the second was blank and action hotted up in the third and fourth quarters.
Coorg XI goalkeeper A.C. Subramani was adjudged the most promising player of the tournament and presented a cheque of ₹10,000 from the Sports Journalists Association of Mumbai (SJAM).
The result: Indian Navy, Mumbai 4 (Ajinkya Jadhav 3, Jugraj Singh) bt South Central Railway, Secundrebad 1 (Raju Pal).
