KARACHI, Sept 22: The match between host Karachi ‘Colours’ and Hyderabad will mark the formal opening of the 21st National women’s hockey championship at the Hockey Club of Pakistan (HCP) Stadium on Friday at 4.00 pm. This will be preceded by two matches in the morning. Lahore ‘Colours’ is pitted against Quetta ‘Whites’ in the opener at 9.30 am while defending champion, Railways, takes on Karachi ‘Whites’ in the other match at 11.00 am.

The revised draws of the championship were taken out at the HCP Stadium on Thursday. 14 teams vying for the top honours, including two hosts, have been drawn in four groups.

Winners of each group will advance in to the semifinals which would be played n Oct 1. The final is fixed for Oct 3.

According to information, at least seven affiliated units of PHF women wing have opted to stay away from the competition. These include DG Khan, Multan, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Islamabad and Sargodha.

To a query, Shahida Jamil, chairperson, PHF women wing, told Dawn that entry into the stadium would be strictly through invitation.

Following are the draws.

Sept 23: Lahore ‘Col’ v Quetta ‘W’ at 9.30 am; Railways v Karachi ‘W’ at 11.00 am; Karachi ‘C’ v Hyderabad at 4.00 pm.

Sept 24: Wapda v Quetta ‘C’ at 10.00 am; Sukkur v Bahawalpur at 4.00 pm.

Sept 25: Rest day

Sept 26: Army v Quetta ‘W’ at 9.30 am; Karachi ‘C’ v Bahawalpur at 2.00 pm; Railways v Faisalabad at 4.00 pm.

Sept 27: Sukkur v Hyderabad at 11.00 am; Quetta ‘C’ v Larkana at 2.00 pm; Karachi ‘W’ v Lahore ‘W’ at 4.00 pm.

Sept 28: Railways v Lahore ‘W’ at 9.30 am; Faisalabad v Karachi ‘W’ at 11.00 am; Lahore ‘C’ v Army at 4.00 pm.

Sept 29: Larkana v Wapda at 10.00 am; Bahawalpur v Hyderabad at 4.00 pm.

Sept 30: Lahore ‘W’ v Faisalabad at 11.00 am; Karachi ‘C’ v Sukkur at 4.00 pm.

Oct 1: Semifinals: Winner of pool ‘A’ v Winner of pool ‘C’ at 2.30 pm; Winner of pool ‘B’ v Winner of pool ‘D’ at 4.00 pm.

Oct 2: Rest day

Oct 3: Playoff for 3rd-4th positions at 9.30 am. Final: at 3.30 pm.

Groups:

Pool ‘A’: Railways; Karachi ‘Whites’; Lahore ‘Whites’ and Faisalabad.

Pool ‘B’: Lahore ‘C’; Quetta ‘W’ and Army.

Pool ‘C’: Sukkur; Karachi ‘C’; Bahawalpur and Hyderabad.

Pool ‘D’: Quetta ‘C’; Wapda and Larkana.

Umpires panel: Humaira Masroor; Razia Rizvi; Shazia Yousaf; Farzana Rasool; Haider Rasool; Chaudhry Tanveer Arshad; Rashid Ali Khan; Shoaib Riffat; Gulbadin and Naeem Akhtar.

Judges panel: Fareeda Jamil; Rahat Iqbal; Nausheen Tahir; Talat Lubna; Uzma Rizvi and Sanober Kazmi.