UniKL Ladies to make 2021 MHL debut

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16: Universiti Kuala Lumpur Ladies will make a grand entrance in the 2021 Malaysian Hockey League (MHL).

The women’s League will be held from Jan 20 to Feb 20 with six teams competing namely PKS Uniten-KPT, PDRM Blue Warriors, Mutiara Impian-MSSPP-PSHA, Sabah, as well as newcomers UniKL Ladies and Young Tigress.

Details on the composition of Young Tigress players will be announced by Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal at a later date.

The men’s league is schedule to begin on Jan 14 to Feb 20 and feature UniKL, who claimed a treble last season by winning the Charity Shield, Premier League and TNB Cup for the first time, Terengganu Hockey Team (THT), Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), TNB Thunderbolts, Maybank, Universiti Tekonologi Mara (UiTM), Nurinsafi Hockey Team and in addition newcomers Sabah.

Both tournaments will be held at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium without the presence of spectators.

MHC Competition Committee chairman Datuk Seri Anil Jeet Singh said the decision to play all matches at the National Hockey Stadium was made due to concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as ensuring spectators complied with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

“It is not easy to ensure that spectator follow the SOP strictly if matches are held in different venues,” he said at a press conference.

Considering the COVID-19 pandemic, Datuk Seri Anil stressed that the 2021 season would be held under a new format where each team will play one match against all the others in the league, with the team at the top of the table emerging as the champion.

The top four teams in the league will advance to the 2021 TNB Cup two-leg semi-finals in the men’s category, and the Vivian May Soars Cup for the women’s category.