Bhopal won its semifinal match against last year runner up Chennai by 5-3 in the All Indian State Bank inter-circle hockey tournament being played at lucknow.
With this, Bhopal has qualified for the final. Dominating the exchanges almost throughout the game, Bhopal led with 3-1 at the half time.
A field goal by Rafeq-ur-Rehman put Bhopal ahead in the fifteenth minute, then five minutes later on the pass of Khalid Yar, Mohammad Naeem scored the second goal however Chennai also scored their first goal at the twenty-fifth minute and made the score 2-1, but Bhopal continued to hold the whip and made the lead 3-1 by a goal from Javed Habib in the Thirty-fifth minute before halftime.
In the second half, Chennai bounced back and leveled the score by two consecutive goals from Nartan in the thirty-eighth and forty-fifth minute.
Bhopal continuing their outstanding play again and the took the lead of 5-3 through a penalty corner goal by Sudheer Jain at forty-ninth minute and a field goal by Mohammad Naeem at fifty-second minute, the score remained same till the end of the game. Sudheer Jain was awarded man of the match. Bhopal will play the final for the title on February 25 against Hyderabad circle.