Kuala Lumpur, Sept 27: Putting to rest speculation over India's participation in next year's Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) today said that their Indian counterparts have accepted an invitation to send the national team to the tournament. MHF secretary S Satgunam told reporters that India had accepted the invitation to participate in the prestigious January 8-18 tournament at the Asian Hockey Federation meeting here today. "Both Amrit Bose (Secretary, Indian Women's Hockey Federation) and K Jothikumaran (Indian Hockey Federation Secretary) agreed to come here for the Azlan Shah next year", Satgunam said. Jothikumaran had said on Wednesday that India may be forced to pull out of the seven-team contest due to lack of a "formal invitation" and also because the Dutch team was scheduled to play a five-test series in India around the same time. Satgunam said there was a "misunderstanding" because India's name was not included in the list of participating countries on the International Hockey Federation (FIH) website.
"The website names only six teams and says the seventh team is still to be confirmed. But as far as Malaysia is concerned we had decided to invite India early this year and also wrote to them regarding our decision," the MHF secretary said.
Bureau report