Two Pakistani teams to participate in Surjit Hockey Tournament

Jalandhar: Two teams from Pakistan will be the main attraction of the 29th edition of the Indian Oil Servo Surjit Hockey Tournament, scheduled to be held here at local Burlton Park Polytan turf Hockey Stadium from October 11 to 19.

Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti, who is also the President of the Surjit Hockey Society, said that the tournament would be played on knockout-cum-league basis.

“Nine teams have been placed in knock out stage while six teams including two foreign teams have been seeded directly into quarter final league. Two teams will qualify from the matches of the knockout stage matches. All the matches of the tournament will be played under flood lights and no gate entry money will be charged from the spectators who will come to witness the game of hockey,” DC said.

The tournament is organized every year by Society to keep the name of Surjit Singh Randhawa, ex-Olympian alive, who lost his life in a fatal car accident near Jalandhar on January 7, 1984 while fighting hard for up-liftment of the National Game of Hockey in our Country.

This year also the Indian Oil Corporation Limited will be the main sponsor of the tournament. DC further informed that this year the Cash Prize Money had been enhanced from Rs. four lakhs to Rs. 6.25 lacs. “Now, the winner team will get Rs. 3.50 lacs instead of Rs. 2.50 lacs whereas the runners up team would get Rs. 2.50 lacs instead of Rs. 1.50 lacs. The gym company Gold’s Gym, Jalandhar and CT Group of Institutions, Jalandhar will be the co-sponsors of the tournament. The Cash Award to the Winner team is sponsored by USA based NRI Amolak Singh Ghakhal, Chairman, Gold’s Gym, Jalandhar while the Runners’ up cash award has been sponsored by Charanjit Singh Channi, Chairman of the CT Group of Institutions, Jalandhar,” DC Bharti said.

According to SDM, Jalandhar-I, Iqbal Singh Sandhu, who is the organizing secretary of tournament the two Pakistan teams, Punjab-XI, Lahore and Sialkot-XI of Pakistan have confirmed their participation in the tournament. Both the Pakistani teams have been recommended by the Pakistan Hockey Federation. Both the foreign teams have been seeded directly in to quarter final league stage.