The Indian Railways hockey team, the reigning champions, cemented their dominance in the 95th MCC-Murugappa Gold All-India hockey tournament with a resounding 5-3 victory over the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) in the final match on Sunday. A large crowd cheered on the Railways team as they completed a lap of honor, celebrating their hard-fought triumph.
Throughout the tournament, the Railways team exhibited exceptional strength and skill, and the final was no exception. They consistently outplayed IOC, a team comprised of several former Olympians and international players. Despite having a significant number of penalty corners (nine in the first quarter alone), the Railways struggled with conversions, scoring only one.
The turning point came in the third quarter when the Railways took a commanding 4-2 lead. IOC, despite their valiant efforts, found themselves facing an uphill battle. Although they mounted a strong attack at times, their efforts faltered in the final third of the match. Interestingly, IOC also had eight penalty corners but converted only one.
“Our victory is a testament to our fitness levels,” said Railways head coach Sunil Kumar Singh. “IOC had many star players, but our team’s fitness was superior. I’d like to highlight the performance of young Simranjot Singh, not just for his scoring prowess but also his exceptional receiving skills. Of course, this win is the result of a 100% team effort.”
The final score reflected the Railways’ dominance: Indian Railways 5 (Gursahibjit Singh 7, Simranjot Singh 9, Yuvraj Walmiki 18 & 58, Mukul Sharma 35) bt IOC 3 (Talwinder Singh 23, Gujinder Singh 29, Rajbir Singh 58).
