Historic Revival of the Hockey India League in Rourkela
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Rourkela, Dec 27 (NationPress) The eagerly awaited return of the Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25 is on the verge of commencement with a showdown between Delhi SG Pipers and Gonasika on Saturday, promising an extraordinary display of elite hockey and intense rivalry.
The Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela will be the venue for the eight men’s teams until the Final on February 1, while four Women’s teams will compete from January 12 to January 26 in Ranchi.
The men’s HIL will launch in Rourkela, with Phase 1 running from December 28 to January 18, where all eight teams will face off against each other once. Phase 2, starting January 19, will split the teams into two pools: Pool A (Delhi SG Pipers, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers, Soorma Hockey Club, Vedanta Kalinga Lancers) and Pool B (Gonasika, Hyderabad Toofans, Tamil Nadu Dragons, UP Rudras). Each team will compete within their respective pools, with the top four teams moving on to the Semi Final on January 31.
“All our players are excited to play against Gonasika and are looking forward to kicking off the league. We have trained rigorously for the past two weeks and have engaged in several team bonding sessions during this time. There is a bit of pressure that comes with it, but all players in our squad are well-prepared and understand the demands at this level. We aim to execute the strategy set by our coaches and take it game by game. Each match is crucial, but taking the initial step in the right direction tomorrow is also vital,” commented Delhi SG Pipers Captain Shamsher Singh.
The Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers, Delhi SG Pipers, Soorma Hockey Club, and Odisha Warriors are the four teams participating in the Women’s HIL. Their matches will begin on January 12 at Ranchi's Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Astro Turf Stadium, with each team playing against the others twice. Following a competitive pool stage, the top two teams will compete in the Final on January 26. Both men’s and women’s teams will also play one of their matches at the alternate venue to enhance HIL excitement for fans in both locations.
“HIL is making a comeback after seven years, and everyone on the team is thrilled about the match against Delhi. We have developed a strong understanding among ourselves and have a good mix of young players, Indian seniors, and foreigners. We plan to implement the skills we have trained on in the match tomorrow. Having played with and against these players before, we will focus on our game to minimize their goal-scoring opportunities,” shared Gonasika Captain Manpreet Singh.
