Asian Games Hockey qualifiers begin Saturday

The eight-team qualifying round of the Asian Games Hockey begins in the city Saturday at the Maulana Bhasani National Stadium with Oman taking on Chinese Taipei in the opening match at 2:pm.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister AMA Muhith will inaugurate the nine-day meet prior to the day’s 2nd match between Sri Lanka and Qatar that will start at 4 pm at the same venue, according to a news agency.
ATN Bangla will telecast live the opening ceremony and the day’s 2nd match in addition to the final.
Hosts Bangladesh will start their campaign taking on Hong Kong Sunday (Mar 17) at 4 pm in a hope of clinch the title on home soil while Singapore will face Iran on the same day at 2 pm.
Earlier, Bangladesh have been placed in Pool B alongside Singapore, Hong Kong and Iran while Group A comprises of Oman, Sri Lanka, Chinese Taipei and Qatar.
Six top teams of the qualifying round will be entitled to play in the 12-team Asian Games Hockey to be held from September 19 to October 4 in Incheon, the 3rd biggest city of South Korea after Seoul and Busan.
Hosts South Korea, India, Pakistan, Japan, China and Malaysia will directly play in the Asian Games Hockey.
Meanwhile, all the seven foreign teams—Oman, Hong Kong, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Sri Lanka, Iran, and Qatar—are now in the capital to participate in the Asian Games qualifiers.