As the Punjab government gets set to host the Asian Champions Trophy later this year, it will be the first occasion for Indian hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh and some of his mates to play in their home state in an international event.

After the World Cup in August and Asian Games in September, India will feature in the Asian Champions Trophy along with an expected line-up including arch-rival Pakistan, Japan, China, Thailand and Korea.

“It will be the first time that I, as well as other members of the Indian hockey team, will be playing in Punjab. To see our home crowd as well as hockey fans from Punjab cheering for us will be a surreal feeling for all of us. It will be exciting to play in the Asian Champions Trophy and we will aim to win the title in front of hockey lovers from Punjab. The moment will come after many years of waiting and we, like any other hockey player, are looking towards seeing the Indian flag rise high with the title,” shared double Olympic medallist Harmanpreet while speaking with The Indian Express.

Punjab last hosted an international hockey competition in 2009 in the form of the Punjab Gold Cup. With ten players from Punjab in the Tokyo Olympics bronze medal winning Indian hockey team and nine from the Paris Olympics team, it has been a long wait for the players like Harmnapreet Singh, vice-captain Hardik Singh and others to play in India colours in Punjab.

The Indian team will be competing in the world cup in Netherlands in August followed by Asian Games in Japan and will then be playing in the Asian Champions Trophy in the last week of October and first week of November later this year. Harmanpreet, who hails from Timmoval near Amritsar, spoke about the upcoming challenge of three major events.

“World Cup is the biggest competition of this year as well as the Asian Games for us. The team has been preparing for the upcoming Pro League camp in Bengaluru and we will be aiming to give our best in these tournaments. To see the Punjab government supporting us will also motivate us further and each one of us hope to keep the Indian flag high at the international level in each of the tournaments,” the Indian captain, who was conferred with the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award on Sunday, said.

Meanwhile, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann shared that the organising committee is planning to hold the much anticipated India-Pakistan match in the Asian Champions Trophy on November 1, Punjab Day.

“Earlier only states like Orissa, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu hosted international events. Now once again Punjab will play host to Asian Champions Trophy, a FIH event. I am glad that Indian hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh as well as other international players from Punjab will get to play in front of their home crowd. Punjab will leave no stone unturned to organise one event of such class. We also plan to set the India-Pakistan match to be played on Punjab Day, November 1,” Mann added.