Action at the CNS Hockey tournament in Lahore delivered a full day of excitement as Pakistan Air Force dominated Army 4-0 and Customs and Port Qasim settled for a 2-2 draw at the National Hockey Stadium.
In the opening fixture Port Qasim struck early when Hassan Shahbaz fired a field goal in the third minute. Customs fought back and levelled on the stroke of halftime through Muhammad Ahmad with a field strike in the 30th minute. The second half saw Customs take the lead when Bilal Aslam converted a penalty corner in the 43rd minute, only for Aleem Usman to equalise for Port Qasim from a penalty corner two minutes later. Despite late pressure from both teams the match ended in a fair draw and kept the pool finely poised.
PAF produced a commanding display in the later match, running out 4-0 winners over Army. Yasir Ali was the standout, scoring two excellent field goals in the 25th and 59th minutes. Penalty corner specialists Abdul Manan and Rizwan Ali added clinical finishes in the 28th and 43rd minutes respectively as PAF’s speed, structure and finishing proved decisive and Army were unable to respond.
Olympian Tahir Zaman attended the fixtures as the chief guest and applauded the players’ intensity and commitment. He praised the Pakistan Navy’s role in supporting national hockey and urged more institutions and sponsors to step forward. “Pakistan Navy’s commitment to reviving our national game is commendable,” Zaman said, expressing confidence that sustained patronage will help restore Pakistan’s standing in world hockey.
The CNS Hockey matches in Lahore offered a promising display of talent and competitive spirit. PAF’s comprehensive victory and the tight draw between Customs and Port Qasim underline a competitive tournament atmosphere and reinforce calls for continued institutional support to rebuild the sport nationally.
