JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Patriots will take on Maharashtra Ironmen in the inaugural match of the first-ever Premier Handball League (PHL) at the Sawai Mansingh Indoor Stadium on Thursday.
The PHL will be held under the auspices of Handball Association of India and is sanctioned by the South Asian Handball Federation and affiliated with the Asian Handball Federation (AHF). The league which will feature six teams – Delhi Panzers, Rajasthan Patriots, Garvit Gujarat, Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra Ironmen and Telugu Talons -- will go on till June 25.
The franchise-based league will see back-to-back matches from Thursday to June 22, followed by the semi-finals and final from June 24-25.
The home team Rajasthan Patriots is all geared up to take on Maharashtra Ironmen to kick start the season of the PHL at the SMS Indoor Stadium on Thursday at 7 pm. The league, in which several top players from foreign countries are also participating, will be broadcast live on Sports 18-1 (HD & SD) and Sports 18 Khel and will be streamed live on JioCinema.
The match between the Patriots and Ironmen will be followed by a clash between the Telugu Talons and Garvit Gujarat from 8.30 pm onwards. The winners of the inaugural season of the PHL will be awarded Rs 11 lakh, while the runners-up will be richer by Rs 5 lakh.
BlueSport Entertainment Private Ltd, organizers of the PHL, unveiled the glittering trophy during a launch function here on Wednesday. The conference was attended by the captains of each of the 6 teams and Dr Ajay Data, PHL chairman, Abhinav Banthia, PHL president, and Vivek Lodha, PHL director of finance.
India has been recognized as the next hotbed for handball and one of the main factors behind the same has been the inception of the PHL. The federations have put their weight behind the league to further push for the future of the league and the sport in India.
During the unveiling, along with the above-mentioned core members, Aakash Narula, vice-president of league operations, Karan Mehta, vice-president of marketing operations and Karthik Yanamandra, vice-president of marketing and communications, were also present.
Chairman of PHL Ajay Data spoke with elation about the inaugural edition of the tournament. He said, “The PHL will transform the landscape of the sport in India. Handball is a highly dynamic sport that will garner a lot of interest from fans as the league will act as a perfect platform to drastically boost interest in the sport and its popularity. We are sure India will soon start producing elite handball players that will go on to fight for glory at the Asian stage followed by the Olympics.”
Expressing his excitement ahead of the first PHL season, the president of PHL, Abhinav Banthia said, “We are eagerly waiting for the league to start. I am certain the league will help shine the spotlight on the sport of handball in India. The fast-paced action during the matches will enthrall fans as they get behind the players and start establishing them as superstars of tomorrow. The league’s focus in the first season is to provide high-quality competition and a great in-stadium experience for the fans as the action in the league captures their imagination. We further intend to expand the impact of the league by launching large-scale grassroots activation for spotting new talent from across the country.”
Further adding to the sentiment, Vivek Lodha, director of finance of PHL, said, “India has always been home to great talent from various sporting disciplines and considering our recent performance at the IHF Emerging Nations Cup, the time is nigh that we got a professional league to help Indian handball players grow further. With the support of the Handball Association of India and the South Asian Handball Federation, we have put together a world-class property which will only grow further as the years pass.”
All the six teams underwent a three-week preparatory camp before the start of the league. The home team Rajasthan Patriots had their camp at the SMS Stadium in Jaipur.
“The league will provide various private stakeholders in India with a golden opportunity to invest in the sport and help it reach new heights. I strongly believe that the inaugural season will surely prove to be a pivotal moment for Handball in the country,” added Lodha.
Captain of the Rajasthan Patriots, Atul Kumar, shared his delight ahead of the first match of the league as he said, “All the players in the squad are delighted that they are part of the first edition of the Premier Handball League. We have a team full of fierce competitors so we are confident that we will perform well this season. Now we are keenly looking forward to the first match against the Maharashtra Ironmen which is going to be an action-packed affair. I believe a person gets stronger with responsibility so I will keep my responsibilities as the captain in mind and look to lead my team by example this season.”
While mirroring the sentiment, the captain of the Maharashtra Ironmen, Igor Chiseliov said, “We were zealously waiting for a league to emerge for the sport to help elevate the stature of handball in India. We can’t wait to take to the court for the first-ever match of the league, which will be a momentous occasion for us all and for handball in the country. I am looking forward to leading my team out for the first match against the Rajasthan Patriots. It is going to be a highly competitive game that will engage fans across the nations and showcase the potential of the league.”
The inaugural edition of the league will only be conducted in Jaipur, where fans will be welcomed into the venue to catch the dynamic action during the matches free of cost.
