Jalandhar, Oct. 27 -- Punjab is all set to witness the return of international hockey after a 17-year hiatus, with the 9th edition of Men's Asian Hockey Champions Trophy getting underway at Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar on Tuesday. The last major international tournament witnessed by the hockey of the region was the invitational Punjab Gold Cup in 2009, though it was held in Chandigarh. The upcoming tournament will mark the first International Hockey Federation tournament hosted by Punjab. The tournament will be played in two legs, with Jalandhar hosting the league stages and the opening ceremony, before the action moves to Mohali for the semi-finals, finals and classification matches. Six teams-India, Malaysia, China, Japan, South Korea, and Bangladesh-will compete in the 10-day tournament from October 27 to November 5. Jalandhar's Sansarpur village and Mithapur have long been regarded as cradles of Indian hockey, having produced 14 Olympians and around 300 national and international players. Hockey legends associated with the region include Balbir Singh Senior, Udham Singh Kular, Prithipal Singh, Ajit Pal Singh, Surjit Singh Randhawa and Punjab Congress chief Pargat Singh. The state has lined up Bhangra and Gidha performances, a demonstration of Gatka -- the Sikh martial art, a musical performance and laser show for the grand opening ceremony. Hockey India has already announced free entry for spectators at both the venues of the Asian Champions Trophy. Fans can seamlessly book digital passes with QR codes by registering on www.ticketgenie.in or their mobile app. In a tribute to one of Indian hockey's finest icons, a life-sized bronze statue of legendary Olympian Surjit Singh was unveiled on Monday at the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium. Eight players from Punjab-Harmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Rajinder Singh, Hardik Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Dilpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh-will play on home turf in front of their families and fans. Former Olympian Harpreet Singh Mander said it has been rightly dubbed as the first major hockey tournament in Punjab since independence, as earlier events in the state largely comprised bilateral Test series and the Punjab Gold Cup. "It is going to be a proud moment not only for players hailing from Punjab to play on their home soil but also for the hockey enthusiasts to witness the best of Asian hockey," Mander said. Indian Hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh said the players are excited to take to the field. "We are more than excited and emotional at the same time to take to the field in the national jersey in Jalandhar. Very few sportspersons get a chance to play on the home soil in front of the families and fans," he said. Bhola Nath Singh, secretary general of Hockey India, said the tournament holds special significance for Punjab. "The state has produced generations of players who have represented the country at the highest level, with Jalandhar especially closely associated with the sport," he said....