Indian team for upcoming Sultan Azlan Shah has been announced. Sandeep, Sardar, Rajpal and Tushar are missing from the team due to injuries and discipline issues. Also teams from Great Britian and Australia has been announced. To read the Indian team for Sultan Azlan Shah Cup click here, for Great Britain team click here, and for the Australian team click here.
2. PHF asks players to disassociate from WSH
Pakistan Hockey Federation has warned its players and asked them to stay away from World Series Hockey if they want to play in Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2011. PHF secretary Asif Bajwa told the players to give in writing that they do not have any any association with the ‘illegal’ World Series Hockey. Rehan Butt, Shakeel Abbasi and Muhammad Wasim have signed with WSH and there more players viz. Zeeshan Ashraf, Adnan Maqsood and Muhammad Saqlain are in contact with WSH.
3. Hockey India selects probables
Hockey India has selected 34 probables for upcoming Women’s Champions Challenge which will be played in Dublin. The 18 member team will be selected on 9th or 10th May. The tournament will be played from June 18 to June 26. The probables for Champions Challenge are Goalkeepers: Deepika Murty, Yogita Bali, Jasdeep Kaur, E Rajani, Savita, Chaitali Dubrekar. Defenders: Joydeep Kaur, Subhadra Pradhan, Preety Sunila Kiro, Jaspreet Kaur, Vaishali Sul. Midfielers: Asunta Lakra, Kirandeep Kaur, Deepika, Mukta P Barla, Th Ranjita Devi, Rosalind Ralte, Ritu Rani, Sunita Lakra, Gagandeep Kaur. Forwards: Surinder Kaur, Jasjeet Kaur Handa, Soundarya Yendala, Monika, Rani, Saba Anjum, Chanchan Devi, Anuradha Devi, Roselin Dung Dung, Poonam Rani, Mamta Kharab, Rashmi Singh, Prakash Choudhary, Meenu Hooda.
4. Pakistan keen to have hockey series
Pakistan is keen to have 6 match hockey series against India. Both nations will play 6 matches, 3 in each country provided they get government clearance to play the series. The series will be scheduled in August or September. This series could be very beneficial as it will promote the game in both the countries. You can read more on the proposed hockey series by clicking here.
5. India not to have foreign coach
Both sports ministry and Hockey India are not keen to have foreign coach for Indian team. Sports ministry has said that due to bitter experiences with Brasa and Charlesworth, they have decided not to hire any foreign coach. Decision for full time coach will be taken after Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
6. Hockey Champions Trophy in Delhi
Delhi will play host to Hockey Champions Trophy in December. the tournament will be played from 3rd December 2011 to 11th December. Australia, Germany, Pakistan, England, Netherlands, Spain, Korea and host India will play in the tournament. Delhi will also play host to men and women Olympic qualification tournament from Feb 15 to Feb 26, 2012.
*************
Till now no TV channel has come forward to telecast live games of upcoming Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. I have contacted many TV channels and request you also to contact them and ask them to show the games live to hockey fans. You can visit Chak De Indian hockey page on Facebook where I have posted the contact information of various TV channels. They might show the games live on TV, if they receive good number of emails
