UP, Kalinga clash in HIL opening tie
The 2016 HIL will also have beefed up cash awards for teams and players, totaling up to Rs 5.7 crore.
New Delhi: New-look teams and innovative rules. The 2016 Hockey India League will have all this and much more as the fourth edition begins on Monday, with Uttar Pradesh Wizards and Kalinga Lancers coming face-to-face in Bhubaneshwar.
Fresh auctions after three years means the six teams have a different set of players and with the world body introducing a new rule where one field goal will be counted as two to encourage fast-flowing hockey, HIL-4 promises to be a unique experience.
Defending champions Ranchi Rays, runners-up Punjab Warriors, last year’s third-placed finishers Delhi Waveriders and Dabang Mumbai are the other teams in action.
The players, in particular, will be keen to make the most of the tournament with an eye on the Rio Olympic Games in August.
At the end of a three-year contractual period, a fresh auction was held last year, which saw many players switching bases, including the likes of Sardar Singh moving from Delhi Waveriders to Punjab Warriors. Moritz Fuerste — returning after an year’s absence — will turn out for his new team Kalinga Lancers as the costliest player of the season.
The 2016 HIL will also have beefed up cash awards for teams and players, totaling up to Rs 5.7 crore. The tournament, to be held across six cities, will conclude with the final in Ranchi on February 21.
The season opener promises to be an exciting contest as UP Wizards, led by drag-flicker V.R. Raghunath, will take on hosts Kalinga captained by star German midfielder Fuerste.