ISLAMABAD: Over three hundred youngsters will be seen lined up for sixteen outfits to figure in the 37th National Junior Hockey Championship that springs into action at the Bunda Hockey Ground from September 25.
After a gap of five years, the National Junior Championship is being organised by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF).
The main objective of the Championship is to unearth the talent and to groom it for the Asian Junior Cup which will also serve as the qualification round for the Junior World Cup. The Junior Asia Cup will be played from November 26 to December 4 in Muscat. “The event will be an apt opportunity to spot the talent for the Asian Cup and later for the Junior World Cup,” Rana Mujahid, Secretary PHF, said. “Over three hundred youngsters will be seen in action in the Championship, played at the Bunda Ground. The Championship will be the first in five years as no effort was made to hold this most important event at the Junior Stage.”
Teams lined up to compete in the National Juniors are Punjab (four teams), Sindh (two teams), two teams from KPK, and one from Balochistan. Islamabad, AJK, and GB will make one team.
Among the departments, the Army, Navy, Wapda, Customs, Pakistan Board, and Police will be seen in action in the National Junior Championship. Teams will be divided into four pools with each consisting of four teams.
Two teams from each group will make it to the quarter-finals.
Pakistan Olympians will also be seen in action in an exhibition match to be held during the Championship.