Hockey Champions Trophy begins tomorrow

UNB, Dhaka :
The first ever franchise-based Hockey Champions Trophy Bangladesh’ 2022, organised by Bangladesh Hockey Federation, begins tomorrow at the Maulana Bhashani National Stadium here.
Six franchise teams–Acme Chattogram, Mettro Express Barisal, Monarch Mart Padma, Rupayan Group Cumilla, Saif Powertec Khulna and Walton Dhaka–will compete in the inaugural meet .
Acme Chattogram will play Saif Powertec Khulna in the inaugural match which will kick off at 6.00pm while Rupayan City Cumilla will meet Shakib Al Hasan’s Monarch Mart Padma in the other opening’s day fixture at 8:15pm at the same venue.
On the following day (Saturday), Mettro Express Barisal will encounter Walton Dhaka while Monarch Mart Padma will play Acme Chattogram in the other match.
On completion of the round robin league matches on November 12, top four teams of the league basis matches will play in the title deciding qualifier and eliminator on November 14 and 15.
Top two teams of the league basis matches will play the qualifier and the winners will directly play in the final on November 17.
The 3rd and 4th team will meet each other in the eliminator and the winning team will play in the 2nd qualifier against losing team of the first qualifier, for the remaining final berth
The players draft of the first-ever franchise-based Hockey Champions Trophy Bangladesh’2022 ceremonially held on Oct 10 at the Samson H Chowdhury Center of Dhaka Club Limited here.
State Minister for Youth and Sports M Zahid Ahsan Russel, MP, attended the function.
Among the 19 Icon players, Walton Dhaka picked up Ashraful Islam, Acme Chattogram Rezaul Karim, Mettro Express Barisal Roman Sarkar, Monarch Mart Padma Rasel Mahmud Jimmy, Rupayan Group Cumilla Sohanur Rahman Sabuj and Saif Powertec Khulna Biplob Kujur through lottery.
All the six participating teams recruited some 17 local and foreign players in their line-up for the league through lottery.
Six local Icon players are expected to receive Taka five lakh each, Category A plus players will get Tk four lakh, category A players Tk three lakh, category B Tk two lakh and category C Tk one lakh each.