Harbinder Singh and Zafar Iqbal, ex-hockey greats of India are keen on attending the match between Indian Men’s National Hockey Team and Germany, which will take place at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi. On October 23 and 24, India will compete against the silver medalists from the Olympics. With this event, international hockey is making its ten-year comeback to New Delhi, and several celebrities, including former hockey players, are anticipated to participate. The final instance of India playing at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium was during the Hero Hockey World League Final – Men’s Round 4 held in January 2014.
The last time I played hockey for the national team in Delhi was in 1972. The Shivaji Stadium was crowded, as I recall, and the supporters were standing and applauding for us. I think a sizable crowd will go to support Germany and India as well. For all that, international first-class matches will be repeated only after ten years elapses,” said Harbinder Singh, an Olympic medallist of 3 editions from Gold in Tokyo in 1964, Bronze in Mexico in 1968, and Bronze in Munich in 1972. Padma Shri Harbinder Singh.
Zafar Iqbal, the captain of the 1982 Asian Games silver-winning squad in Delhi and a gold medallist at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, also added his voice, stating, “Back in our era, hockey had an immense following.” We played in enormous stadiums, and events like the Asian Games, Nehru Gold Cup, and other international matches always drew large crowds and a tangible sense of anticipation. Indians will undoubtedly be cheering for us to defeat Germany since they are a strong team; we defeated them to earn the bronze medal at the Olympics in Tokyo and most recently lost to them in the Paris semifinals.
The FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifier and the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy were welcomed to Ranchi last year, while the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy was held in Chennai. The next Women’s Asian Champions Trophy will take place in November at Rajgir, a city in Bihar.
Harbinder Singh praised Hockey India’s initiative to bring hockey to every part of the nation. “High profile matches ought to be staged in different locations throughout the country so that all and sundry get a chance to watch the team play live and in turn cultivate a following for the sport besides keeping our players active for crucial international contests,” Singh said.
It used to be the case that the majority of the people thought that India was a team that leaked goals towards the end of matches, but that has changed now, we are the best in the world in every respect,” Zafar Iqbal said an appeal to supporters to come in large numbers. The amenities are excellent, and I do not doubt that there will be nonstop activity in the game. Additionally, I’d like to use this chance to extend an invitation to hockey fans to show up in large numbers in support of our team.
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