Chennai: ICF Chennai won the Second Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh Memorial International Hockey Tournament by defeating South Central Railways, Hyderabad in the penalty shoot out, held at Astro Turf Hockey Ground, 3 Base Repair Depot, Air Force, Chandigarh on 25 April.
In a nail biting finish, SCR, Hyderabad was leading 2-1, when, ICF, Chennai came back into the match levelling the score with a scintillating goal scored by Deepak in the 60th minute. ICF, Chennai won the match defeating SCR, Hyderabad in the Penalty Shootout round by 7-6.
Mohit and Sanjay scored two goals each while Shyam Kumar and Deepak scored one goal each for ICF, Chennai. For SCR, Hyderabad Sheshe Gowda, Raju Pal and Ayush Dwivedi scored three, two and one respectively. Deepak of ICF, Chennai had been adjudged the best player of the tournament. A total of 31 matches were played in the tournament wherein 202 Goals have been scored.
A total of 16 teams participated in this tournament. Apart from the elite Indian teams, Air Force teams from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka also participated in this edition, making it tan international event.
Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, Chief of the Air Staff was the Chief Guest for the Closing Ceremony and he awarded the coveted trophy to the winners. He also felicitated the runners-up team and the members of the organising committee.
Former Indian international Hockey player, Colonel GS Gill, International hockey player, Harpal Singh, Group Captain RK Raksha (Retd), Former Services hockey player and Secretary Services Sports Control Board and Colonel Balbir Singh (Retd) who represented India in the 1966 Asian Games and 1968 Olympics were also felicitated during the event.