With their convincing win over fourth placed Chennai Cheetahs, Sher-E-Punjab became the first team to qualify for semifinal. Earning 25 points in 12 matches, they have ensured top two finish in the league matches. Only Chandigarh Comets have the probability to surge ahead of Sher, if they win all the remaining three matches, and Sher fails to win any of the remaining two matches.
Sher-E-Punjab have been the most consistent team of the tournament. While tournament favorite Mumbai Marines have become the first team to be knocked out of the tournament, the Sher-E-Punjab team with Jalandhar as home have showed why Punjab is considered the Home of Hockey in India.
Leading Goal Scorers
With a hattrick against Comets in the winning cause, Deepak Thakur of Punjab team is their leading scorer with 10 goals, joint third best (With Gurpreet Singh of Strykers, Len Aiyappa of Lions) in the tournament, behind Imran Warsi (16 goals) of Chennai Cheetahs, and Gurjinder Singh (10 goals) of Chandigarh Comets.
Harpreet Singh (6 goals), Prabhjot Singh, Gagan Ajit Singh and Matthew Hotchkis (4 each), Mandeep Antil (3 goals), Tariq Aziz and Bikramjeet Singh (2 goals each), Harpal Singh, RS Vinaya and Inderjit Singh (1 goal each) are the other goal scorers for Sher-E-Punjab.
Highest Goal Scoring Team
After match 46 of the tournament, Sher-E-Punjab have scored 38 goals, 2 more than second best goal scorers (36 Goals) Chennai Cheetahs.
Best Defense
With only 23 goals conceded in 12 games, so far they can boast to be have the best defense in the tournament. They have concded a goal less than Delhi Wizards, who have conceded 24 goals in 11 matches.
Best Goal Difference
With 38 goals scored, and 23 goals conceded their goal difference of +15 is the best in the tournament. Chennai Cheetahs with +6 goal difference come at far distant second place. Besides these two only Comets have a positive goal difference (+3).
Most Impressive Team
They have the maximum wins (8) in the tournament. They also have the least losses (3 games). At half-way mark when all the teams had played 7 matches each, they were joint leader with Bhopal Badshahs, earning 13 points, but were ahead of Badshahs with +8 goal difference.
Led by Indian striker, Prabhjot Singh the team has lived upto the reputation. The team has knocked out almost all teams with an allround performance.
Tournament March
They have lost just 3 matches in the tournament so far, won 8 and drawn 1. Started with a 5-2 win over Cheetahs, and sealed semifinal spot with another 4-2 win over them in 12th match. Defeated Lions 6-1 in 2nd match at home, but lost 1-2 to the resurgent Lions in away match. Played the only draw with then leaders, Pune Strykers 3-3 in their 3rd match. They will play next the away match against Strykers.
Lost 1-2 to Wizards at Away match, and will play their last league match at home against them.
Lost away match against Comets 1-3, and took revenge at home winning 5-2. Defeated Bhopal Badshahs 3-2 in away match, and 4-3 at home. Defeated Mumbai Marines 2-1 at Home, after defeating them earlier 3-2 at Away match.
Leave a Reply