Chennai: A penalty-corner conversion six minutes from close by unheralded Simrandeep Randhava helped Pune Strykers snatch a 3-3 draw with hosts Chennai Cheetahs and maintain their unbeaten run in the World Series Hockey tournament here on Friday.
Trailing 2-3, Randhava' drag flick converted a penalty corner just minutes after regular specialist Gurpreet Singh had failed as Strykers played out their third consecutive draw that took their tally to nine points after five outings.
Cheetahs, for whom local lad Adam Sinclair (1st) and Pakistani import Imran Warsi (30th, 44th) scored, could not convert their obvious dominance into victory as Roshan Minz (5th) and Biksh Toppo (35th), besides Randhava, kept Strykers afloat.
The lone point that Chennai picked up took their tally to seven and put them in joint third position with Sher-E-Punjab and Bhopal Badshahs.
Looking far more settled than in the previous matches, the Cheetahs put in an improved performance and did well to keep a check on the Strykers who had won two and drawn two fixtures prior to their trip to Chennai.
The Cheetahs were off the blocks first and quickly as Sinclair swatted home a cross from the right in the very first minute, but even before the cheers could die down, Minz let fly from the top of the circle with a reverse hit following a defensive lapse.
Chennai, however, regained the initiative when Warsi flicked home a penalty corner, but yet again the Strykers drew level, this time with Toppo who put home a Mario Almada pass from the right.
Early in the second-half, Warsi put Chennai ahead for the third time in the game and the hosts looked certain to maintain the lead to the finish until their defence caved in again under pressure when the Strykers went all out in the last quarter.
Chennai survived a penalty corner attempt by Gurpreet Singh, but Randhava was on target with the next set-piece about six minutes from close.
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