Lucknow: As many as 29 teams from across the country, including defending champions Railway, runners-up Haryana and third-place holders Jharkhand, would be seen in action in the 13-day 3rd Hockey India Senior Women National Hockey Championship, beginning April 18, at the Major Dhyan Chand Astro Turf Stadium at the Guru Govind Singh Sports College in Lucknow.

Disclosing this to newsmen organising Secretary Dr R.P. Singh informed that this was for the first time during the last many years when a national women championship was being organised in Lucknow.

Railway's Davinder Bhatia has been named tournament director, while Lucknow's Avinash Srivastava would be the umpire's manager.

The 2nd edition of the championship was organised in October last at Bhopal. All the 29 teams, who have been divided in eight different pools, would play league matches first. One team from each team will qualify for the quarterfinals to be played on April 28. The two semi-finals are slated to be played on April 29, where as the final will be played on April 30.

"We are committed for the successful conduct of the event as this has been an honour for Uttar Pradesh Hockey to conduct the senior women National championship in Lucknow after a long gap," said RP Singh.

"It's an effort to revive hockey in the state and our players will certainly get benefit of this event," he added.