Formidable Punjab and Sind Bank made good use of the setpieces to outplay Army XI 4-2 via tie-breaker and lift the crown in the final of Indian Oil Servo 109th All India Beighton Cup hockey tournament in Kolkata on Sunday.
The bankmen, who clinched the title for the third time after consecutive victories in 1999 and 2000, dominated the show but failed to break the ice and finished goalless in regulation time of the exciting encounter at the CCFC ground.
The goal drought continued in the extra time and the match was stretched to penalty shoot-out, PSB kept their cool despite an initial jolt suffered when the first hit by captain Baljit Singh Chandi was saved by Army goalkeeper Sunny Semoul.
Mandeep Singh, Davinder Singh, Harpreet Singh and Rajwinder Singh held their nerves to put the ball in for the winners.
Army XI, on the other hand, paid for a wayward hit by Harpreet Singh and a mild push by skipper Cyrin Aind, which was saved by PSB goalkeeper Maninder Singh, to go down even after taking a 2-1 lead in the tie-breaker through Suresh Kumar and Jagit Singh.
PSB, who had their regular skipper and former India international Baljit Singh Saini sitting out due to injury, started with a bang and created number of chances - more so in the opening half - but were done in by poor finishing.
The victory made the bankmen richer by Rs 1.25 lakh while Army XI, three-time champions during 1992-94, were awarded Rs 75,000.
PSB captain Chandi, notwithstanding his missed stroke in the tie-breaker, put up a stellar display and was adjudged the man-of-the-tournament and awarded Rs 10,000.
