Services thrashed lowly rated Maharashtra 14-1 in Pool D, while Bombay toyed with Himachal Pradesh 6-1 in Pool B. In another match in Pool A, Pondicherry sped past Rajasthan 5-1.

Four goals by Asad Khan, including the first hat-trick of the championship, saw Bombay racing to a 6-1 win. Asad found the target twice in each half, scoring in the 16th, 19th, 40th and 49th minutes. Captain Viren Rasquinha (41st) and Sunil Singh (53rd) scored the other two. Harpinder Singh pulled one back for Himachal eight minutes from the final hooter. Bombay were 2-0 ahead at the lime break.

Bombay should have won by a bigger margin as they failed to convert nine penalty corners that came their way.

For Services, forwards Basu Horo (34th, 38th and 57th minutes), Ajay Kumar (9th, 50th and62nd), B Barla (1st, 43rd and 66th) and substitute Devki Nandan (59th, 61st and 67th) scored three goals apiece while skipper and international Cyprian Aind (39th) and substitute Arun Minj (45th) accounted for the other two. For Maharashtra, Sachin Shelar scored when he converted the penalty stroke in the 40th minute.

Services, who had acclimitised to the conditions in the city with an early arrival last fortnight, fired from all cylinders. Maharashtra defence caved in repeatedly as the forwards raided in waves. Services performance also served as a warning to the hosts Karnataka, who are in the same pool, as they would have to put up a sterling performance to advance into the last eight.

Other results

Pondicherry 6 (K P Jayees, B Y Dimpal 2, R Anandhabalan) bt Rajasthan 1 (Sohanlal).