Jaypee Punjab Warriors will take on last year’s runner-up Delhi Waveriders in the inaugural match of the Hockey India League (HIL) season II at the newly-built hockey stadium in Mohali on January 25.
Defending champion Ranchi Rhinos will host Uttar Pradesh Wizards in its opening encounter the next day while new entrant Kalinga Lancers will meet Punjab at Bhubaneswar on January 28.
Altogether, 34 matches will be played at six venues — Ranchi, Delhi, Lucknow, Bhubaneswar and Mohali (two venues) — over 30 days. The matches in Lucknow will be played at 3 p.m. while the matches at the other centres will be at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
The semifinals and final will be played in Ranchi on February 22 and 23 respectively.
The schedule:
Jan. 25: Jaypee Punjab Warriors (JPW) vs Delhi Waveriders (DWR).
Jan. 26: Ranchi Rhinos (RR) vs Uttar Pradesh Wizards (UPW); JPW vs Dabur Mumbai Magicians (DMM).
Jan. 27: RR vs DWR.
Jan. 28: Kalinga Lancers (KL) vs JPW.
Jan. 29: DMM vs UPW.
Jan. 30: DWR vs KL; Jan. 31: DWR vs JPW.
Feb. 1: UPW vs RR; KL vs DMM; Feb. 2: UPW vs JPW; KL vs DWR; Feb. 4: RR vs DMM.
Feb. 5: DWR vs UPW; Feb. 6: DWR vs DMM; Feb. 7: RR vs KL; Feb. 8: UPW vs DWR; DMM vs JPW.
Feb. 9: UPW vs KL; DMM vs RR; Feb. 11: JPW vs KL.
Feb. 12: DWR vs RR; Feb. 13: KL vs UPW.
Feb. 14: KL vs RR; Feb. 15: JPW vs UPW; DMM vs DWR.
Feb. 16: DMM vs KL; JPW vs RR; Feb. 18: UPW vs DMM.
Feb. 19: RR vs JPW; Feb. 22: Semifinals.
Feb. 23: Third place play-off and final.
