IA on all 4 as IOC sweep title IA on all 4 as IOC sweep title

NEW DELHI: It wasn''t a mismatch or a malfunctioning in the electronic scoreboard. The fancied team, Indian Airlines, boasting the ‘international'' tag for almost every member in the squad got walloped 0-4 by Indian Oil Corporation in the final of the Ranjit Singh hockey tournament at the Shivaji Stadium on Wednesday. Around a thousand fans turned up expecting a humdinger but were stunned by the formbook reversal.
Or perhaps, it was divine compensation for IOC after the brutal attack earlier in the tournament on their star forward, Deepak Thakur, who was expected to be discharged by the doctors anytime on Wednesday.
The tournament was supposed to mark IA''s take-off — they were the sponsors of the tournament which was revived in 2005 after a gap of many years. Instead, the civil aviation minister Praful Patel and IA''s chairman Sunil Arora were treated to the rusty form of their uninspired bunch. It was shocking how the IA boys were giving up rather than rally for rearguard counters.
It was made even more baffling since IOC were struggling to field a full-strength squad before the final. Other than the hospitalised Thakur, IOC''s key midfielder, Viren Rasquinha was also recovering from an injury and was initially supposed to sit only on the bench — to boost the youngsters'' morale. In fact, IOC had just 11 fit players - the remaining five were hardly in a position to be used as apt substitutes. Besides, IA had much better tactical support from former Olympian Ashok Kumar. The name of Dulare Lal — IOC''s new coach — does not ring a bell in domestic hockey circles.
Another striking fact about the win was that IOC faced no pressure even while defending with 10 men after two of their players were suspended at crucial junctures.
While IA coach Ashok Kumar blamed his team''s fitness for their pathetic display, Rasquinha downplayed the notion that IA had a loss of form in the final. "We played to our strength and implemented our plan."
IOC''s goalscorers were winger Prabjoth Singh and striker Kamlesh Singh, both striking a brace each.
Prabjoth was declared the man of the match alongwith Kushmeet Singh and the former''s performance could even bring him into notice of the national selectors.