Runners up Javed Hockey Club likely to miss Surjit cup

Jalandhar, Nov 6 : Last year's Runners up Javed Hockey Club, Gojra (Pakistan) will not be seen in action during the Surjit Hockey Tournament, which begins here tomorrow at Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium, Burlton Park.

According to Deputy Commissioner Ajit Singh Pannu, who is also the President of the Surjit Hockey Society, the Pakistani team would not be seen in action during the tournament as the Indian Government has not given travel clearance to the team so far.

Mr Pannu further said that all preparations were complete for Indian Oil SERVO Surjit Hockey Tournament's 26th edition, which would be played on league-cum-knockout basis on the newly laid polytan turf.

The tournament committee is expected to attract hockey followers in large number as the matches will be played under flood lights in the stadium and spectators were allowed free entry.

All types of arrangements like boarding and lodging, transport, security, medical have been completed for the participants, he said.

Mr Iqbal Singh Sandhu, Organising Secretary of the tournament said that the teams have been divided into four pools and winner team of the each pool will qualify for the semifinals, scheduled to be held on November 12.

The Last year’s champion Punjab and Sindh Bank Delhi, Boarder Security Force (BSF) Jalandhar and Indian Air Force (IAF), Delhi are in pool-‘A’.

Air India, Mumbai, Namdhari-XI, Sirsa and Punjab National Bank (PNB) Delhi have been kept in pool-‘B’.

Former Champion and star-studded Indian Oil Mumbai, Rail Coach factory (RCF) Kapurthala and EME Jalandhar were placed in pool ‘C’.

Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPC) Mumbai, Punjab Police and Corps of Signals, Jalandhar have been seeded into pool ‘D’.

--UNI

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