WSH IMAGES: Prabhjot leads Punjab to win over Chennai

The home crowd had plenty of reasons to celebrate as favourites Sher-E-Punjab launched their campaign in the World Series Hockey with a convincing 5-2 win over Chennai Cheetahs.

However, the scoreline does not reflect the close tussle that took place at the Surjeet Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar.

Mandeep Antil (7th minute), Harpreet Nagra (34th), Prabhjot Singh (49th and 70th) and Gagan Ajit Singh (57th) scored for Sher-E-Punjab, while Pakistani star Imran Warsi struck a brace for the Cheetahs, both his goals coming off drag-flicks in the 24th and 63 minute respectively.

The Chennai Cheetahs forwards and midfield strived hard as the match progressed but their efforts did not bear fruit due to solid defending by the Punjab side.

Shers soon extended their scoreline to 4-1 after taking an early lead with Mandeep Antil's goal that seemed to preface a night of dominance.

Skipper Prabhjot Singh's talent as a dribbler proved decisive in his side's handsome win.

Chennai had two clear chances to make a comeback in the first half but they conceded a penalty stroke with a minute remaining for the interval.

Sher-e-Punjab star Deepak Thakur was obstructed from taking a clear shot at goal and the umpire had no hesitation in pointing towards the dreaded spot.

Harpreet Nagra converted the first penalty stroke of the WSH.

Pune Strykers slammed in three goals in the last quarter, in the space of 10 minutes, to beat Mumbai Marines 7-5 and open their campaign on a winning note at the MHA-Mahindra Stadiumin Mumbai.

The Strykers had to thank their penalty-corner expert, Gurpreet Singh, who notched four goals, including two in the last quarter, for their come-from-behind victory over the Mumbai side, which led 4-3 at the halfway stage of the match.

Apart from Gurpreet, the other goal scorers for Pune -- who took a 3-1 lead in the first quarter before allowing Mumbai to come back -- were Mario Almada, Lungile Tsolekile and Roshan Minz, who scored the last goal in the match.

For Mumbai, who lacked an effective penalty-corner drag-flicker and forced only five penalty-corners, compared to their opponents' 13, speedy front-liner Joga Singh scored thrice (not a hat-trick) while Aljub Ekka and Troy Sutherland completed the tally.

Pune, for whom Vikas Pillay played a crucial role in the midfield in the first three quarters, went ahead very early in the match through a well-struck deflection into the far corner of the rival goal by Argentine forward Almada.

Mumbai attacked immediately but Pune custodian Gurpreet Singh Guri could not be beaten by Prabhodh Tirkey and it was the home team's goal which fell again immediately afterwards.

Pune forced two successive penalty-corners and their drag-flicker Gurpreet Singh scored off the second, with an effort to the left of Mumbai custodian Adrian D'Souza.

The first quarter ended with Pune up 2-0.

Mumbai reduced the margin immediately after resumption in the second quarter when Australian Troy Sutherland was lying in wait for a long through ball hit from the home team's half near the rival goal, and pushed in with the Pune defence caught napping.