Hockey championship not to have quarter-finals

KARACHI: The format of the ongoing National Hockey Championship in Rawalpindi has been changed and according to the new format quarter-finals will not be played and the four best teams according to the points table will qualify for the semi-finals, it was learnt by ‘The News’ on Thursday.

The decision to this effect was taken on Thursday, sources said. They said that according to the current situation of the points table it is quite obvious that NBP, SSGC, WAPDA and Mari Petroleum would qualify for the semi-finals.

The league matches of the championship end on November 17. The two semi-finals will be played on November 19 and the final and the third position match on November 20.

It was also learnt that PHF has failed so far in the arrangements of prize money but is still striving to manage cash awards for the successful players.

A high-level official said that PHF is trying to arrange prize money for the winners and the runners up.

Sources further said that the semi-finals and the final would be live telecast and these matches would be organised under floodlights.