Strikers Stun Knights 6-3, Titans Beat Bulls 3-1: CHL Final Set for Sunday
Forget the league table. The Chhattisgarh Hockey League semi-finals tore it up.
Sanskardhani Strikers, the underdogs, thrashed table-toppers Nyayadhani Knights 6-3 in the first semi-final on Saturday. Then Mainpat Titans beat Bailadila Bulls 3-1 in the second. So Sunday’s final in Raipur is Strikers against Titans, and on Saturday’s evidence, anything could happen.
Shahrukh’s hat-trick breaks the Knights
The first semi-final was a shootout from the start. Shahrukh put the Strikers ahead early with a flick into the right corner, Adarsh hit straight back for the Knights, and then Chirag gave Nyayadhani a 2-1 lead before the 15-minute mark.
That’s when the game turned. Ashish Tani Purti dragged in a penalty corner for his 13th goal of the tournament, making him the competition’s top scorer, and Arbaj Ali scored his first in the 24th minute. The Knights kept coming back, but Shahrukh wasn’t done: he equalised again in the third quarter, then completed his hat-trick off a rebound after Shamsher missed a penalty corner. Aryan Xess made it five in the last quarter, and Om Kumar Yadav, set up by Nishant Tirkey, rubbed it in to make it 6-3.
For our money, that’s the performance of the tournament so far. The Knights finished top of the league. The Strikers only got into the knockouts because the Bulls thrashed Chakradhar Champions 6-2 in the last league game. And then they went out and dismantled the favourites.
Titans grind down the Bulls
The second semi-final was a different kind of game. Tighter, harder, fewer chances. Sandeep Kumar opened the scoring for the Titans from a penalty corner and that was the only goal of the first half, with both defences refusing to give anything away in the circle.
Prince Bhagat broke it open with a deflection deep in the circle, then scored again to make it 3-0. Ankit Kujur pulled one back for the Bulls right at the end, but by then it was done. Pradeep Mor’s Titans are in the final, and Chinglensana Singh’s Bulls go home wondering what happened to their miracle run.
Sunday’s final
Strikers against Titans, in Raipur, for the inaugural CHL title. The Strikers have already beaten the Titans 4-0 in the league stage, so they won’t fear anyone. But finals are different animals, and the Titans have the tournament’s most organised defence. One game, winner takes it all, and Rs 11 lakh goes to the champions from the Rs 21 lakh prize pool.
No time for the final was stated in the semi-final report, so check the league’s own channels before travelling.
Related:
https://sportscursor.com/sunday-1-november-hockey-diary-act-chl-murugappa-hoofdklasse-belgium-2026/
https://sportscursor.com/chl-semifinals-knights-strikers-bulls-titans-day-confusion-31-october-2026/
