Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced here on Sunday that astroturfs will be laid in all blocks of Sudergarh district which is the cradle of hockey.
Sundergarh district will be the only one in the country with the largest number of astroturfs, he said while noting that it had contributed in a big way to Indian hockey.
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Odisha is the only state which sponsors a national team and it is the only state which has its own Hockey Team – Kalinga Lancers in the Hockey India League, noted the CM.
He was speaking at the Biju Patnaik Stadium here before a Odisha Eleven versus New South Wales match.
The two-match series between the NSWIS XI and Odisha XI came to a stunning end as, NSWIS conceded the two-match series to ODISHA XI despite winning the match, after going down in the series-deciding penalty shootout.
The winning penalty goal by ODISHA XI produced a victory over NSWIS with a final score of 5-4.
NSWIS won the second leg of the match with a score of 3-2. Owing to which a penalty shootout was conducted where a winning goal by ODISHA XI declared them the winner of the match.
Kurt Lovett Captain NSWIS received the Man of the Match award whereas Roshan Minz Captain of ODISHA XI received the man of the series award for displaying exceptional skills in both the matches.