TN can upset Air-India applecart

TN can upset Air-India applecart

Chennai, July 13: Favourities Air-India, Mumbai, take on enthusiastic Tamil Nadu, while mighty Punjab and Sind Bank, Chandigarh, cross swords with Mumbai XI in the semi-finals of the Murugappa Gold Cup invitation hockey tournament here on Friday.

Dependant on international Baljit Singh Chandi and Parminder Singh in the forward line, their defence can be split by a good ball handler.

If they make amends for earlier lapses and are successful in guarding the two Mumbai fowards, Mukhtiar Singh and Shanta Kumar, they could easily progress further. Mumbai goal keeper Arun Gurang has been alert in tight situations.

Despite all these, few will doubt that PSB, like AirIndia, are more of paper tigers. It remains to be seen if Tamil Nadu and Mumbai could spring some surprises.