NEW DELHI — Nine players from Pakistan were drafted into the Hockey India League (HIL), a new Indian tournament starting next month along the lines of cricket's popular India Premier League. The Hockey India League (HIL), sanctioned by the sport's world governing body, will have the top stars turn out for five franchised-based teams from Jan. 17-Feb. 17, organizers said Sunday. Nine out of the 15 Pakistani players available for auction were bought while captain Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Waqas, Haseem Khan, goalkeeper Imran Butt, veteran drag-flicker Sohail Abbas and forward Ali Shan remained unsold. Mumbai Magicians bought four Pakistani players – Mohammad Rashid for $41,000, Mohammad Tousiq $27,000, Fareed Ahmed for $21,000 and goalkeeper Imran Butt for $5,500. Ranchi Rhinos bought Shafqat Rasool for $10,000 and Mohamamd Irfan for $5,000, while Delhi Wave Riders snapped up Mohammad Rizwan junior and Mohammad Rizwan senior for $10,000 and $26,000 respectively and Kashif Shah was sold for $9,500 to Punjab Warriors. Indian captain Sardar Singh was picked up by the Delhi Wave Riders franchise for a salary of $78,000 at an auction that began in New Delhi Sunday. Moritz Fuerste, named the International Hockey Federation's (FIH) player of the year for 2012 after helping Germany win two successive Olympic gold medals in Beijing and London, went to Ranchi Rhinos for $75,000. Dutch veteran Teun de Nooijer, 36, was sold to the Uttar Pradesh Wizards for $66,000, while Punjab Warriors bought influential Australian striker Jamie Dwyer for $60,000. Among other early gainers were Indian penalty corner specialist V.R. Raghunath ($76,000), Dutch goalkeeper Jaap Stockmann ($68,000) and Australian midfielder Eddie Ockenden ($65,000). Mumbai Magicians was the fifth franchise in the fray. The money paled in comparison to what cricketers make in the five-year-old IPL – where top players earn around $2 million a year – but was still a financial bonanza for the hockey stars. Each of the five squads will have 10 foreign and 14 Indian players for the televised tournament described by HIL boss Narinder Batra as a “game changer” in the world of hockey. — Agencies
