Indian hockey team returns home to warm welcome

Team India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 4-2 in the tie-breaker to clinch the title.

The victorious Indian hockey team received a rousing welcome when it returned home in the wee hours today after claiming the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy in Ordos,China.

Even though the crowd gathered at the Indira Gandhi International Airport was not huge but it did enough to give a warm welcome to the players. The fans who gathered at the airport were seen dancing to the beats of drums.

Hockey India secretary general Narinder Batra along with some other officials personally received the team at the airport as it reached here by China Airlines flight CA 947 at 1.40 a.m. (IST).

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To the delight of the players,the media,especially electronic,was in full strength.

Hockey India will host a dinner at a city hotel today in honour of the young team and felicitate the players for their outstanding performance in the Asian Champions Trophy,where they defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 4-2 in the tie-breaker to clinch the title.

The title also assumes great significance for coach Michael Nobbs as for the Australian,the Asian Champions Trophy was his first assignment with the Indian team.