WSH: Chandigarh Comets to take on Bhopal Badshahs in Opener

Chandigarh Comets would clash with Bhopal Badshahs at the former's venue to kick start the inaugural $ 2 million prize money World Series Hockey championships on February 29.

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As per the schedule of the eight-team WSH, which is not a sanctioned event of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), announced on Monday, the league stage of the tournament would run till March 30 and will be followed by two semi-finals on April 1 and the final on April 2.

The other six teams taking part would be Sher-E-Punjab (Jalandhar), Chennai Cheetahs, Pune Strykers, Delhi Wizards, Karnataka Lions (Bangalore) and the Mumbai franchise, renamed as Mumbai Marines.

The timings of the matches have been fixed at 5 pm, 7 pm and 9 pm right throughout the round robin stage barring the season opener which is to commence at 8.30 pm.

The two semi-finals on April 1 are to be held at 6 and 8:30 pm respectively, while the final on April 2 will commence at 8 pm.

A total of 56 matches have been scheduled in the round robin phase leading to the two semis and final.

The tournament was scheduled originally to commence on December 17 last but had to be put off on request from the Indian players who wanted to concentrate on the Pre-Olympic qualifiers to be held in Delhi next month.

The schedule:

Feb 29: 8:30 pm Chandigarh Comets vs Bhopal Badshahs, Chandigarh

Mar 1: 7:00 pm Sher-E-Punjab vs Chennai Cheetahs, Jalandhar; 9:00 pm Mumbai Marines vs Pune Strykers, Mumbai;

Mar 2: 7:00 pm Delhi Wizards vs Karnataka Lions, Delhi; 9:00 pm Mumbai Marines vs Bhopal Badshahs, Mumbai

Mar 3: 5:00 pm Sher-E-Punjab vs Karnataka Lions, Jalandhar; 7:00 pm Chandigarh Comets vs Chennai Cheetahs, Chandigarh; 9:00 pm Delhi Wizards v Pune Strykers, Delhi

Mar 4: 7:00 pm Sher-E-Punjab vs Pune Strykers, Jalandhar; 9:00 pm Mumbai Marines vs Chandigarh Comets, Mumbai

Mar 5: 7:00 pm Karnataka Lions vs Bhopal Badshahs, Bangalore; 9:00 pm Delhi Wizards vs Chennai Cheetahs, Delhi

Mar 6: 7:00 pm Chennai Cheetahs vs Mumbai Marines, Chennai; 9:00 pm Karnataka Lions vs Chandigarh Comets, Bangalore

Mar 7: 7:00 pm Sher-E-Punjab vs Delhi Wizards, Jalandhar; 9:00 pm Pune Strykers vs Bhopal Badshahs, Pune

Mar 8: 7:00 pm Chandigarh Comets vs Sher-E-Punjab, Chandigarh; 9:00 pm Karnataka Lions vs Mumbai Marines, Bangalore

Mar 9: 7:00 pm Chennai Cheetahs vs Pune Strykers, Chennai; 9:00 pm Bhopal Badshahs vs Delhi Wizards, Bhopal

Mar 10: 7:00 pm Chennai Cheetahs vs Karnataka Lions, Chennai; 9:00 pm Bhopal Badshahs vs Sher-E-Punjab, Bhopal

Mar 11: 7:00 pm Pune Strykers vs Chandigarh Comets, Pune; 9:00 pm Mumbai Marines vs Delhi Wizards, Mumbai

Mar 12: 7:00 pm Pune Strykers vs Karnataka Lions, Pune; 9:00 pm Bhopal Badshahs vs Chennai Cheetahs, Bhopal

Mar 14: 7:00 pm Mumbai Marines vs Sher-E-Punjab, Mumbai; 9:00 pm Delhi Wizards vs Chandigarh Comets, Delhi.

Mar 15: 7:00 pm Pune Strykers vs Chennai Cheetahs, Pune; 9:00 pm Delhi Wizards vs Bhopal Badshahs, Delhi.

Mar 16: 7:00 pm Sher-E-Punjab vs Chandigarh Comets, Jalandhar; 9:00 pm Mumbai Marines vs Karnataka Lions, Mumbai.

Mar 17: 7:00 pm Sher-E-Punjab vs Bhopal Badshahs, Jalandhar; 9:00 pm Karnataka Lions  vs Chennai Cheetahs, Bangalore.

Mar 19: 7:00 pm Chandigarh Comets vs Pune Strykers, Chandigarh; 9:00 pm Delhi Wizards vs Mumbai Marines, Delhi.

Mar 20: 7:00 pm Chandigarh Comets vs Delhi Wizards, Chandigarh; 9:00 pm Chennai Cheetahs vs Bhopal Badshahs, Chennai.

Mar 21: 7:00 pm Sher-E-Punjab vs Mumbai Marines, Jalandhar; 9:00 pm Karnataka Lions vs Pune Strykers, Bangalore.

Mar 23: 7:00 pm Pune Strykers vs Mumbai Marines, Pune; 9:00 pm Karnataka Lions vs Sher-E-Punjab, Bangalore.

Mar 24: 7:00 pm Bhopal Badshahs vs Chandigarh Comets, Bhopal 9:00 pm Karnataka Lions vs Delhi Wizards, Bangalore.

Mar 25: 7:00 pm Chennai Cheetahs vs Sher-E-Punjab, Chennai; 9:00 pm Bhopal Badshahs vs Mumbai Marines, Bhopal.

Mar 26: 7:00 pm Chennai Cheetahs vs Chandigarh Comets, Chennai; 9:00 pm Pune Strykers vs Delhi Wizards, Pune.

Mar 27: 7:00 pm Pune Strykers vs Sher-E-Punjab, Pune; 9:00 pm Bhopal Badshahs v Karnataka Lions, Bhopal.

Mar 28: 7:00 pm Chandigarh Comets vs Mumbai Marines, Chandigarh; 9:00 pm Chennai Cheetahs vs Delhi Wizards, Chennai.

Mar 29: 7:00 pm Chandigarh Comets vs Karnataka Lions, Chandigarh; 9:00 pm Bhopal Badshahs vs Pune Strykers, Bhopal.

Mar 30: 7:00 pm Delhi Wizards vs Sher-E-Punjab, Delhi; 9:00 pm Mumbai Marines vs Chennai Cheetahs, Mumbai.

Apr 1: 6:00 pm Semi Final 1 (Venue to be confirmed); 8:30 pm Semi Final 2 (Venue to be confirmed)

Apr 2: 8:00 pm Final (Venue to be confirmed).