Naveen Congratulates Shilanand Lakra, Dipsan Tirkey for Selection in Indian Men’s Hockey Team for FIH Pro League Matches against Spain

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has congratulated Odisha hockey players –

Shilanand Lakra and Dipsan Tirkey on being selected in the 20-member Indian Men’s Hockey Team for their FIH Pro League matches against Spain to be played at Kalinga Stadium.

“Congratulate Odisha players, Shilanand Lakra and Dipsan Tirkey on being selected to represent the country in the FIH Men’s Hockey Pro League matches to be played at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar against Spain. Wish the team all the very best”, the CM tweeted.

Congratulate #Odisha players, Shilanand Lakra and Dipsan Tirkey on being selected to represent the country in the FIH Men’s Hockey #ProLeague matches to be played at #KalingaStadium, #Bhubaneswar against Spain. Wish the team all the very best. #OdishaForSports https://t.co/60BSRMxusc

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) February 22, 2022

Hockey India on Tuesday announced the 20-member Indian Men’s Hockey Team, which will be led by experienced midfielder Manpreet Singh and Vice Captained by dragflick specialist Harmanpreet Singh, in the upcoming FIH Men’s Hockey Pro League matches at home in Bhubaneswar, Odisha against Spain.

The matches will be held over the weekend on 26th and 27th February 2022.

The Indian team will see a new face in promising young forward in Sukhjeet Singh from Punjab who was picked in the Core Group following an impressive stint with the Punjab National Bank during the maiden Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship 2021 held in Bengaluru.

The 20-member squad for the double-header against Spain includes goalkeepers PR Sreejesh and Suraj Karkera. Defenders Harmanpreet Singh, Mandeep Mor, Surender Kumar, Varun Kumar, Jarmanpreet Singh and Dipsan Tirkey. The team features an experienced midfield with Manpreet Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Hardik Singh, Jaskaran Singh, Shamsher Singh, Nilakanta Sharma and Akashdeep Singh while the forwardline features Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Shilanand Lakra, new comer Sukhjeet Singh and Abhishek who did well against South Africa and France earlier this month has also received a call-up to the team.

Additionally, Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Amit Rohidas, Rajkumar Pal, Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh and Dilpreet Singh have been named as standbys.