Hockey Nationals: Bihar edge Andhra Pradesh 4-3 in thrilling Division C clash

Rajasthan beat Gujarat 6-2, while Mizoram edged Jammu & Kashmir 2-1 on Day 3 of the Senior Men’s Hockey Nationals in Jhansi. Kerala and Jharkhand drew their matches, while Bihar defeated Andhra Pradesh 4-3 in Division C

Jhansi: Two draws in Division B and a last-quarter turnaround in Division C, where Bihar (BSSA) edged past Hockey Andhra Pradesh, were among the highlights of Day 3 of the 16th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2026 in Jhansi. Ra, jasthan and Mizoram also recorded victories.

The two matches in Division B ended in draws, with Kerala Hockey held by Chhattisgarh in Pool A, while Hockey Jharkhand and Telangana Hockey were locked at 1-1 at the end of their Pool B clash.

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Kerala, who were beaten 0-9 by Odisha on Day 2, fought back to earn a point. Anoop Kumar Maurya put Kerala ahead with a field goal in the 29th minute. Chhattisgarh equalised through captain Sandeep Kumar’s penalty corner in the 45th minute and took the lead when Sonu Nishad scored from open play in the 48th. Sandeep Yadav converted a penalty corner in the 59th minute to level the match.

In the Pool B clash, Dilbar Barla gave Jharkhand the lead with a penalty corner in the 26th minute. Telangana captain Shiva Kumar Shivangi equalised from a penalty corner in the 56th minute. Jharkhand remain unbeaten after a 4-1 win over Goa on Day 2, while Telangana picked up their first point after losing to Arunachal on Day 1.

In Division C, Bihar (BSSA) prevailed over Hockey Andhra Pradesh 4-3 in a Pool B match. Andhra Pradesh, who had won 8-0 on Day 1, scored through Metta Sai Kumar’s penalty corners in the 11th and 38th minutes and a field goal from captain Lekkala Hitesh Rao in the 25th minute.

Bihar responded through Jony Kumar’s penalty corner in the 26th minute and Md Sidik’s penalty corner in the 29th. Jony then scored a field goal in the 43rd minute to help Bihar draw level at 3-3. He completed his hat-trick and scored the winner through a penalty stroke in the 53rd minute. It was Bihar’s first win of the championship after their 2-3 loss to Rajasthan on Day 1.

In another Pool B match in Division C, Hockey Rajasthan defeated Hockey Gujarat 6-2. Prathambhai Patel put Gujarat ahead in the eighth minute, but Kunal Koundal equalised with a penalty corner in the 22nd. Rajasthan scored three times in the third quarter through Pawan Kumar Yadav in the 36th and 39th minutes and Ankit Rawat in the 42nd. Rawat added another goal in the 48th minute.

Patel pulled one back for Gujarat in the 54th minute, while Rawat completed his hat-trick in the final minute of regulation time. Rajasthan have now won both their matches.

In a Pool A match in the same division, Hockey Mizoram edged past Hockey Jammu & Kashmir 2-1. Captain Karanjit Singh gave Jammu & Kashmir the lead in the ninth minute. Dharmendra Pal turned the match around with two penalty corners in the 15th and 28th minutes, and Mizoram defended their lead for the remainder of the game.

Mizoram bounced back from their 2-4 loss to Himachal on Day 2, while Jammu & Kashmir suffered their first defeat after winning their opening match 6-3.