Ind vs SL: Indian hockey players get day’s off to see cricket WC final

NEW DELHI: The Indian men’s hockey team will get a day’s off from their training to watch the cricket World Cup final between co-hosts India and Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.

A 45-member Indian squad is undergoing training at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi to prepare for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup which starts in Kuala Lumpur on May 5.

“We will practice in the morning and in the evening we will watch the cricket World Cup final. We had asked for a day off from the practice session and it has been granted to us. All the team members wants to watch the final without missing a single ball. We all are ready to cheer Team India,” Rajpal said.

“Dhoni and other cricketers pitched behind Indian hockey team during the 2010 World Cup hockey; now it is our turn to back them,” he added.

The Indian skipper also informed that the team management had earlier given them off on Wednesday to watch the high-voltage semifinal between India and Pakistan in Mohali, which the team members enjoyed in their hotel rooms.

“Indian team under the leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni is looking favourite to lift the coveted Cup and I am confident that they will win it in front of the home crowd,” Rajpal said.