LAHORE, Jan 9: The 15-team qualifying round of the 50th national hockey championship for the departmental teams starts from Dec 12 at National Hockey Stadium.

The teams have been divided into two pools for the event which ends Dec 22. The defending champions PIA and the last year’s runners-up Allied Bank are placed in group “A” and “B” respectively.

Wapda, who had recently inducted penalty corner specialist Sohail Abbas, goalkeeper Mohammad Qasim and forward Waseem Ahmad is expected to give their rivals a tough time. Wapda also have internationals Mohammad Shabbir, Mudassar Ali Khan and Naveed Iqbal in their ranks.

Top four teams of each group will qualify for the main round to be held at UBL Sports Complex Ground in Karachi from Jan 25.

Besides PIA, the other teams in the Pool “A” are National Bank, Police, Railways, PAF, Army and PTV, while pool “B” have Allied Bank, Habib Bank, Pakistan Customs, Wapda, PTCL, Navy, Pakistan Ordnance Factories and University Grants Commission.

Schedule:

Jan 12: ABL v POF; Police v PTV; Customs v UGC; HBL v Navy; Wapda v PTCL; PIA v Railways

Jan 13: PAF v Army; ABL v UGC; HBL v Customs; PTCL v Navy; PIA v PTV; Wapda v POF

Jan 14: POF v UGC; Railways v Army; PTCL v Customs; PAF v NBP; ABL v HBL; Wapda v Navy

Jan 15: PIA v Army; Police v PAF; Railways v NBP

Jan 16: Wapda v UGC; Navy v Customs; PTV vs Railways; POF v  HBL; PTCL vs ABL; PIA v NBP

Jan 17: PTV vs PAF; Army vs NBP; Railways v Police

Jan 18: Wapda v Customs; PIA v PAF; UGC v HBL; Navy v ABL; Army v Police; POF v PTCL

Jan 19: Army v PTV; UGC v PTCL; Customs v ABL; Navy v POF;  Wapda v HBL; NBP v Police

Jan 20: NBP v PTV; Customs v POF; Wapda vs ABL; UGC v Navy; HBL v PTCL; PIA v Police

Jan 21: PAF v Railways

Jan 22: Final.