Malaysian team to take part in 96th MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey tournament

Chennai, Jul 9 (PTI) For the first time in its history, the prestigious All India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey Tournament will feature an international team with a Malaysian squad set to compete for the title, organisers said.

The 96th edition of the event, jointly organised by the Madras Cricket Club and city-headquartered diversified business conglomerate Murugappa Group, will be held from July 10 to 20, 2025 at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in the city.

Ten teams across two groups would vie for the championship. The prize money for the top two teams is Rs 7 lakh for the winning team and Rs 5 lakh for the runner-up.

The winners of the 2024 edition, the Indian Railways Hockey Team, would defend their title in the event this year.

The matches would be played on a league-cum-knockout basis. Finals would be played on July 20 under floodlights, a release said on Wednesday.

As part of this year's MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey Tournament, a special sustainability initiative has been introduced. Under 'Plant a Goal', 10 trees will be planted for every goal scored during the tournament.

Commenting on the occasion, Tube Investments of India, Executive Chairman, Arun Murugappan said, "The MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup has long been a platform to celebrate and elevate Indian hockey. This year, we mark a new milestone with the participation of an international team from Malaysia - a reflection of the tournament's expanding reach and reputation." "We have also introduced a tree-planting initiative in the 96th edition, where 10 trees will be planted for every goal scored - a step that brings together the values of performance, social responsibility and long-term impact," he said.

During the event, there would also be a cash prize of Rs 50,000 each for the semi-finalist teams, in addition to a cash prize of Rs 10,000 along with a high-end bicycle each to the best forward, best midfielder, best goalkeeper, the most promising player of the tournament and the man of the match of the finals.

The Madras Cricket Club President Vivek Kumar Reddy said, "At the Madras Cricket Club, one of our primary missions is to support sports and sportspeople across India by hosting events and other initiatives. We are proud to host the 96th edition of the MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey Tournament along with the Murugappa Group." Teams from Railway Sports Promotion Board, Indian Army, Hockey Maharashtra, Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu, IndianOil Corporation Ltd, Malaysia Junior National, Indian Navy, Hockey Karnataka, Central Board of Direct Taxes would be classified into two groups for the matches, the release said. PTI VIJ VIJ ROH