Hockey India League to begin on January 21 in Mumbai

The fifth edition of the Hockey India League (HIL) will begin on January 21 with a clash between Dabang Mumbai and Ranchi Rays in Mumbai. The semifinals will be played on February 25 while the final is scheduled for February 26.

"The Finals weekend, as is tradition, will be hosted at the defending Champions' home ground, in this case the Jaypee Punjab Warriors stadium at Chandigarh," a press relase stated.

FIH President and HIL Chairman Narinder Dhruv Batra said, "It has not just been a great spectacle for fans and players, but also a great model to demonstrate sustained growth for the sport. We hope to raise the bar again this season, by increasing reach to more fans via innovative mediums as well as better revenues for players and sponsors.

"At the heart of its concept, the Hockey India League benefits our Indian players development immensely by allowing them to play alongside some the best players in the world hence learning new techniques that go a long way during the hockey season," Batra concluded.