Indian team starts practice for fifth Asian School Hockey Championship

Bhopal: Indian team selected for the fifth Asian School Hockey Championship started practice from Saturday in Tulsi Nagar located Major Dhyanchand Stadium. Three players from Madhya Pradesh - Saurabh Pasine, Mohammed Alishan and Shaqib Ur Rehman have been selected in 18 member Indian team. Practice camp of Indian team will continue till April 1.

 Olympion player Ashok Dhyanchand met players in stadium today and gave them tips about hockey.

Brijbushan Saxena, Chairman, Technical Committee, School Games Federation of India has been made General Manager of Indian Team. Vice Chairman, School Games Federation of India, Alok Khare has been made coordinator of championship.

 All necessary preparations are being made for championship to be held between April 3 and 11 in Bhopal. Total 192 players and officers of eight countries will be participating in the championship. Teams of Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, UAE, Bangladesh, China, besides host country India participating in the Event. School Education Department is making elaborate arrangement so that more and more school children could watch matches.

 Inaugural ceremony of championship will be held at Aishbagh Stadium on April 3. Cultural programmes based on diversified Indian culture will be held. All day-night matches will be held in Aishbagh from April 4. Total 26 matches will be played. Valedictory function will take place in Aishbagh stadium on April 11. The championship will be played on league-cum-knockout method. Eight teams have been divided in two pools. Malaysia, Sri Lanka, China, UAE are in pool 'A' and Bangladesh, India, Singapore and Thailand are in pool 'B'. Teams securing first two places in each pool will play semi-final.-WTN