LAHORE, Jan 21: Reigning champions Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) made an impressive start in its campaign to defend the title, winning the opening match against Sui Gas 4-2 in the 56th National Hockey Championship at the National Hockey Stadium here on Wednesday.

The winners led the first half 3-1.

Olympian Shafqat Rasool broke the ice in the 12th minute, capitalizing a field attempt. Three minutes later, Mohammad Imran made the score 2-0 through another field try. Sui Gas’s presence was felt in the 17th minute when Aqeel Ahmed slammed a goal to make it 2-1. But the offensive national carriers soon increased the lead to 3-1 when another Olympian Mohammad Zubair fired home a field goal in the 19th minute. Though PIA kept pressure on Sui Gas, it failed to tick the scoreboard further till the end of the first half.

After resumption, Sui Gas displayed a much-improved game showing strong defence. They reduced the margin to 3-2 when Shabbir struck a field goal in the 59th minute. But a 64th minute strike by Waqas Akbar completed the tally. PIA wasted all the three penalty-corners that it got.

In another match, three goals each by international Haseem Khan, Naeem Akbar and Ammar Ashraf helped National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) teach a lesson to NWFP by giving them an 11-0 thrashing.

The bankers opened account through a field goal by Mohammad Taufeeq in the fifth minute. Three-goal Naeem Akbar made it 2-0 in the 16th minute. The lead remained intact till the first half.

The second session saw the bankers in a ruthless mood. They made several dangerous inroads through both wings to crush NWFP’s defence into pieces.

Haseem completed his three-goal rally in as many minutes, scoring all field goals in the 40th, 41st and 43rd minute to complete the hat-trick. Naeem added his second goal in the 47th minute. Ammar found the net for the first time in the 49th minute as NBP were leading 7-0. Naeem made it 8-0 with his third goal in the 57th minute. Then Ammar fired home again in the 59th and 65th minutes while Taufeeq contributed his second in the 66th minute to seal the fate of the match.

Meanwhile, a goal each from Kashif Idrees and Akbar helped Railways hold Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) to a 2-2 draw.

Railways conceded a 2-0 lead in the first half as KESC struck the first through Amir Iqbal in the 27th minute off a short-corner, doubling the lead in the 29th minute when Salman Khan found the cage. But Kashif Idrees (56th minute) and Akbar (69th minute) denied KESC a win.

The fourth encounter saw Balochistan also coming from behind to lock the score 4-4 with PTV.

The winners were 3-2 ahead in the first half.

For PTV, Zulifqar (11th and 23rd mins), Mohammad Fayyaz (28th min) and Waqas Butt (56th min) were the scorers. Balochistan struck through Mohammad Amin (sixth and 69th mins), Mohammad Wasif (16th min) and Mohammad Yasir (45th min).

Then two goals each by Usman and Hanif Shahzad guided Port Qasim Authority (PQA) to a 5-2 victory against Federal Territory.

Usman scored in the 20th and 49th minutes while Hanif in the 51st and 65th minutes. Samiullah (28th min) was the other scorer. Asad scored two for the losing outfit.

A solitary goal by Arshad in the 64th minute in the Army-Habib Bank Limited (HBL) encounter, helped Army beat a strong opponent 1-0.

Meanwhile, Navy trounced Sindh 3-0 after leading by 1-0 at halftime.

Falak Zaman, Mohammad Imran and Mushtaq Ahmad scored for the winners in the sixth, 37th and 54th minutes.

Finally, three goals by Rizwan Butt enabled Punjab to beat Police 9-2 after taking a 5-2 lead in the first half. Rizwan scored in the fourth, 20th and 46th minutes. Moazzam Ali (19th and 28th mins), Asif Aslam (29th and 47th mins), Mohammad Saqlain (36th min), Rana Shahzad (57th min) were the other scorers. Niaz Ahmad (15th min) and Farzand Ali (24th min) were the scorers for the losing side.

Thursday’s fixtures: Sindh v Steel Mills; PIA v Balochistan; KESC v NWFP; Wapda v Navy; Capt. T v Punjab; Police v Port Qasim; NBP v Railways.