The line-up for the semi-finals of the Coal India Hockey India League has been confirmed, with Jaypee Punjab Warriors, Delhi Waveriders and Kalinga Lancers all joining defending champions Ranchi Rays in the final four matches that will take place in Ranchi this weekend.
Host franchise and league phase winners Ranchi Rays will face fourth place finishers Kalinga Lancers, with second-ranked Jaypee Punjab Warriors going head-to-head with third-placed Delhi Waveriders in the other semi-final.
The final two matches of the league phase of the competition took place on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively, and were packed full of entertainment.
On Tuesday, Matthew Swann’s Dabang Mumbai temporarily put themselves into fourth position with a 6-3 win over Eddie Ockenden’s Uttar Pradesh Wizards, a result which ended Wizards’ hopes of competing in the title matches.
Delhi Waveriders went into their match against Kalinga Lancers knowing that only a win would be good enough for them to book a ticket to Ranchi, a test that they passed with flying colours thanks to a superb 6-0 triumph on home soil. Indian international penalty corner ace Rupinder Pal Singh netted a double, with team captain Simon Child and Parvinder Singh on target with field goals.
The result saw the Waveriders climb from bottom of the six-team league table into third position, providing a clear indicator of just how closely contested the 2016 edition of the Coal India Hockey India League has been.
That heavy defeat at the hands of the Waveriders almost proved disastrous for Kalinga Lancers, who took fourth place ahead of Dabang Mumbai by virtue a marginally superior goal difference.
The Lancers must now prepare themselves for a semi-final showdown with reigning champions and final four hosts Ranchi Rays, a team that has a 100 percent win record on home soil in this year’s Coal India Hockey India League.
Thursday and Friday are competition rest days, with the action both resuming and concluding this weekend.
The first of the semi-final matches to be played in Ranchi this Saturday (20 February) will be the Jaypee Punjab Warriors versus Delhi Waveriders contest, which takes place at 15:00 (Indian Standard Time).
That match will be followed at 17:30 by the meeting between Ranchi Rays and Kalinga Lancers.
On Sunday (21 February), the 3v4 play-off match will be commence at 15:00, with the showpiece final getting underway at 17:30.
To follow all the live action, visit the Coal India Hockey India League website by clicking here.
