Hockey: IOCL, BPCL renew rivalry to feature in 53rd Bombay Gold Cup from Monday

Defending champions Indian Oil and last year's runners-up Bharat Petroleum will renew their rivalry in the 53rd All India Bombay Gold Cup Hockey Tournament here from Monday to March 13. The tournament is being conducted by the Mumbai Hockey Association Limited under the auspices of Hockey India at the MHAL-Mahindra stadium, a release said on Sunday.

A total of 12 teams, seven outstation and five local outfits, will fight it out to emerge champions. The teams have been divided into four pools of three each and the top team from each pool will qualify for the semi-finals to be played on March 12. The final will be held the following day.

Besides, Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum, the other teams taking part from out of Mumbai are Army XI, South Central Railway, Punjab & Sind Bank, Uttar Pradesh XI and Rail Coach Factory, Kapurtala. The local challengers are Central Railway, Bombay Republicans, Bank of India, MHAL Academy and Killedar XI.

The groupings:

Pool-A: Indian Oil, Army XI, Bombay Republicans.

Pool-B: South Central Railway, Central Railway, Killedar XI.

Pool-C: Bharat Petroleum, Punjab & Sind Bank, Union Bank of India.

Pool-D: Uttar Pradesh XI, Rail Coach Factory, Kapurtala, MHAL Academy.