Chennai, Mar 8:
Top-rung state teams and two institutional squads from Steel Plant and the Services would vie for honours in the fourth Hockey India Junior (U-19) national hockey championships for men, scheduled to be held from March 24 to April 6.
M Renuka Lakshmi, General secretary of Tamil Nadu units of Hockey India and organising secretary V Nandakumar, said at a press conference that for the first time the tournament would be held in a new format where the top 16 teams in the country were classified a ‘A’ division (total four groups) and the remaining 19 teams were classified as ‘B’ Division, to avoid one-sided matches.
As per the new format, the two teams that finish in the bottom of the ‘A’ Division would be relegated to the ‘B’ Division and the top two teams from ‘B’ Division would be promoted to ‘A’ Division next year.
Renuka Lakshmi said the tournament would be held in league-cum-knockout basis and the top teams from each group in both the division would qulaify for the semifinals.
The ‘B’ Division matches would conclude with the final on March 31.
The ‘A’ Division final would be held on April 6. (PTI)
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