Delhi Waveriders defeated Jaypee Punjab
Warriors in the penalty shoot-
out to emerge as
the champions in the second edition of Hero
Hockey India League at the packed Astroturf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi on
Sunday.
It came as a befitting result for last year's runners-up Waveriders,
who made their second consecutive final of HIL. The Waveriders beat Warriors
3-1 in the shoot-out after the regulation 70 minutes ended in a 3-3 tie. Majority
of the credit should go to the Waveriders goalie Nicolas Jacobi, who had a
brilliant day under the bar and made numerous saves to guide the Delhi side to
the title.
Apart from making quite a few saves in the
regulation time, Jacobi stood like a rock in the shoot-out to deny Warriors'
first three attempts before Robert Hammond scored from the one-on-one
situation. But it was not enough as the Waveriders scored three out of their
four chances in the shoot-out to run away with the glittering trophy and Rs 2.5
crore prize purse. The Warriors took home Rs 1.25 crore, while the last year's
champions Ranchi Rhinos pocketed Rs 75 lakh for finishing third. Earlier in the
day, the Rhinos defeated Uttar Pradesh Wizards too on penalty shoot-out to
claim the third place. The Rhinos
defeated UP Wizards 3-2 in the shoot-out after both the teams were locked at
1-1 at regulation time.
Delhi Waveriders is a field hockey franchise based in Delhi
that plays in the Hockey India League.
It is owned by Wave Group. The owners of Delhi franchise paid an amount of
$78,000 (INR42.5 lacs) for Sardar Singh in the auction, making him the highest-paid
Indian player of the league. Sardar
Singh was announced as the captain of the team. The team is coached by Ajay
Kumar Bansal and former Indian captain Ajit Pal Singh acts as the chief advisor
for the team.
