KARACHI: The 33rd National Junior Hockey Championship, which pushes off at the refurbished Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium on Wednesday, heralds the launching pad for the 2016 junior hockey World Cup.

“The selectors will unearth talent during the event that will be groomed for future,” an optimistic Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Rana Mujahid told a news conference on Tuesday.

The PHF secretary was flanked by Karachi Hockey Association (KHA) president Wasay Jalil, secretary Mohammad Farooq Khan, Sindh Hockey Association (SHA) president and former Olympian Shahid Ali Khan and secretary Ramzan Jamali.

Unfolding details, he said the event will be played under the new International Hockey Federation (FIH) rules that will officially come into force from Sept 1. The new rules envisage four halves of 15 minute each with three breaks of two minutes, 10 minutes and two minutes.

He said every match will be supervised by five referees — two in the field, one third umpire while two will monitor from outside close to the ‘D’.

“Plans are also afoot to implement a video umpiring system to minimise foul play,” he added.

The PHF secretary added that the penalty shootout will be ensued in case two teams fail to settle the issue in the 60-minute regulation time.

A jury of appeal comprising Wasay Jalil, Col Nadeem, Tahir Zaman and Ramzan Jamali has been constituted.

According to details, players born on or after January 1, 1996, are eligible to compete in the event. A scrutiny committee has been constituted to monitor the overage cases. It comprised Tahir Zaman, Col Nadeem and Ramzan Jamali.

The PHF has asked the PSB to send Dr Waqar to assist and conduct the tests, he added.

Rana Mujahid went on to say that the high electricity cost has compelled the organisers to refrain from staging some matches under floodlights.

Responding to a question, he said Inter-provincial Coordination (IPC) Minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada has forwarded a summary to the prime minister for approval of Rs500 million for the PHF to carry out activities for one year.

Speaking on the occasion, the KHA chief expressed his gratitude to the PHF for awarding the event to Karachi which, according to him, will give a sigh of relief to people of the port city.

He said extra-curricular activities can effectively serve as a tool to overcome menace of terrorism.

The official said the KHA will leave no stone unturned in making the event a success.

Meanwhile, the KHA secretary told Dawn that with the exception of Islamabad, all teams arrived in Karachi. Islamabad were due to reach the city on Tuesday night.

He said arrangement for their boarding and lodging has been made at the KHA Club hostel in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

As many as 15 teams representing 12 affiliated units will vie for honours during the 10-day event. Punjab has fielded three outfits while Sindh will be represented by two.

The top two teams will advance into the quarter-finals after completion of the group matches. The two semi-finals will be played on May 23 while the curtain falls on the event the following day.

Formal opening of the championship will be held at the HCP Stadium on Wednesday at 5.00pm Following are the pools:

Pool ‘A’: National Bank of Pakistan, Sindh Colours, Punjab Colours, Islamabad.

Pool ‘B’: PIA, Punjab Whites, Pakistan Board.

Pool ‘C’: Army, Railways, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab Yellows.

Pool ‘D’: Wapda, Pakistan Customs, Sindh Whites, Balochistan.

Wednesday’s fixtures:

At 7.00am: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Punjab Yellows.

At 9.00am: Sindh Whites v Balochistan.

At 3.00pm: Punjab Whites v Pakistan Board.

At 5.00pm: National Bank of Pakistan v Sindh Colours.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2014.