PHL kicks off from January 4

Bangalore, Dec 20 (UNI) Hyderabad Sultans and Chennai Veerans will clash on the inaugural match on January 4 next year while defending champion Bangalore Lions will take on Maratha Warriors next day in the Third Premier Hockey League (PHL) to be played in Chennai and Chandigarh.

While the Chennai matches start on January 4, the ties in Chandigarh would commence from February 11.

The tournament will see as many as 25 foreign players from Australia, the Netherlands and Pakistan.

The winners bounty had been enhanced to Rs 40 lakhs, while runners-up would pocket Rs 15 lakhs.

The Schedule: (Chennai) Jan 4: Hyderabad Sultans v/s Chennai Veerans.

Jan 5: Chandigarh Dynamos v/s Sher-e-Jalandhar, Maratha Warriors v/s Bangalore Lion.

Jan 6: Orissa Steelers v/s Chandigarh Dynamos, Sher-e-Jalandhar v/s Maratha Warriors.

Jan 7: Bangalore Lions v/s Hyderabad Sultans, Chennai Veerans v/s Orissa Steelers.

Jan 8: Chandigarh Dynamos v/s Maratha Warriors, Sher-e-Jalandhar v/s Bangalore Lions.

Jan 9: Maratha Warriors v/s Hyderabad Sultans Jan 10: Bangalore Lions v/s Chennai Veerans.

Jan 16: Hyderabad Sultans v/s orissa Steelers.

Jan 17: Chennai Veerans v/s Chandigarh Dynamos.

Jan 18: Orissa Steelers v/s Sher-e-Jalandhar.

Jan 24: Candigarh Dynamos v/s Bangalore Lions.

Jan 25: Sher-e-Jalandhar v/s Hyderabad Sultans.

Jan 31: Maratha Warriors v/s Chennai Veerans.

Feb 1: Bangalore Lions v/s Orissa Steelers Feb 2: Hyderabad Sultans v/s Chandigarh Dynamos.

Feb 4: Chennai Veerans v/s Ser-e-Jalandhar, Orissa Steelers v/s Maratha Warriors.

Chandigarh: Feb 11: Chandigarh Dynamos v/s Sher-e-Jalandhar.

Feb 12: Sher-e-Jalandhar v/s maratha Warriors.

Feb 13: Maratha Warriors v/s Bangalore Lions.

Feb 14: Bangalore Lions v/s Hyderabad Sultans.

Feb 15: Hyderabad Sultans v/s Chennai Veerans.

Feb 16: Chennai Veerans v/s Orissa Steelers.

Feb 17: Orissa Steelers v/s Maratha Warriors.

Sher-e-Jalandhar v/s Hyderabad Sultans.

Feb 18: Chandigarh Dynamos v/s Bangalore Lions.

Maratha Warriors v/s Chennai Veerans.

Feb 19: Hyderabad Sultans v/s Chandigarh Dynamos.

Feb 20: Bangalore Lions v/s Orissa Steelers.

Feb 21: Chennai Veerans v/s Sher-e-Jalandhar Feb 22: Orissa Steelers v/s Chandigarh Dynamos.

Feb 23: Bangalore Lions v/s Chennai Veerans.

Feb 25: Maratha Warriors v/s Hyderabad Sultans, Chennai Veerans v/s Chandigar Dynamos.

Feb 26: Orissa Steelers v/s Sher-e-Jalandhar.

Feb 27: Chandigarh Dynamos v/s Maratha Warriors.

Feb 28: Sher-e-Jalandhar v/s Bangalore Lions.

Mar 1: Hyderabad Sultans v/s orissa Steelers.

Finals: Mar 2 to Mar 5: Team One v/s Team Two.

UNI MSP VK PDS DB2004