21 foreign players for the PHL; Chennai, Chandigarh to co-host

New Delhi, Oct 13 (UNI) Twenty-one foreign players, including some top European and Pakistani stars, will be seen in action in the third edition of the Premier Hockey League (PHL) starting from January 2 next year in Chennai.

The Rs 7.1 million PHL will have seven contenders, instead of five in the previous two editions, and is slated to be played in two legs -- at Chennai in January and at Chandigarh in February under floodlights.

While all the five teams of last year have been retained, two from the second tier Orissa Steelers and Chennai Veerans, are the new comers for this edition.

The teams are defending champion Bangalore Lions, Chandigarh Dynamos, Hyderabad Sultans, Sher-E-Jalandhar, Maratha Warriors, Orissa Steelers and Chennai Veerans.

The league to be played on a round robin format will have 42 matches -- 21 matches each at Chennai and Chandigarh -- with a best of three final at Chandigarh.

Spanish team coach Maurits Hendriks has been retained as consultant for PHL and will be responsible for shortlisting overseas players for the league. Each team has been allowed to hire a maximum of three foreign players.

The first edition of PHL at Hyderabad in 2004 saw 11 foreign players including the World's highest goal scorer Sohail Abbas, Pakistan captain Mohd Saqlain, Goal keeper Ahmed Alam, Spanish captain Juan Escarre and Malaysian skipper Kuhan Shanmuganathan in action.

In the second edition at Chandigarh, 13 overseas players including former Argentina captain Jorge Lombi, New Zelander Beven Hari, Spaniard Pau Quemada, Holland's Bomans and Pakistanis Rehan Butt, Shakil Abbasi and Salman Akbar.

Talking to mediapersons here this afternoon, ESPN India Managing Director R C Venkatesh said it has been decided to do away with the second tier competition from this edition to make it a more balanced battle field.

''We have doubled the number of matches and added another venue to broaden the base of the tournament. Last year we had a resounding response at Chandigarh and we are confident that the new edition will be even more successful,'' he explained.

He said this time more foreign players will be seen in action as compared to the last edition. The initial feedback from the European players has been very heartening.

Venkatesh disclosed that as per the telecast ratings, Hockey was the second most popular game, after cricket in India and the second edition of the PHL had a healthy viwership.

''The two PHL finals at Chandigarh in February this year had a 30,000 housefull crowd, which was many times more than any domestic cricket fixture including the Challengers series,'' he said.

Matches will be played in a four quarter format (17 and half minute each) as in the past.

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