Services miss QF as Inter-Dept Hockey reaches knockouts

Hyderabad: After six days and 40 matches, the 6th Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championships 2026 enters the knockout stage, with the quarterfinals scheduled at Gachibowli Hockey Stadium on Friday. Defending champions Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB), runners-up Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG), Food Corporation of India (FCI), Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB), Sports Authority of India (SAI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), All India Police Sports Control Board (AIPSCB) and Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) made the last eight.

Services Sports Control Board, who had finished third last year, missed out despite winning three of four matches in Pool C, finishing level on nine points with AIPSCB and CBDT. AIPSCB topped with a +7 goal difference, CBDT were second at +6, while Services managed +4. Their 5-2 loss to CBDT proved costly. CBDT, who with two wins and two draws.

CAG were unbeaten in Pool B with four wins, although two were narrow 5-4 victories. SAI finished second. RSPB also won all four matches, scoring 27 goals and conceding four. FCI advanced after another strong finished outside the top 10 last year, secured a quarterfinal berth. PSPB topped Pool A with three wins and a draw, while PNB advanced with two wins and two draws.

CAG were unbeaten in Pool B with four wins, although two were narrow 5-4 victories. SAI finished second. RSPB also won all four matches, scoring 27 goals and conceding four. FCI advanced after another strong league campaign. The quarterfinals line-up: PSPB vs SA I, RSPB vs CBDT, CAG vs PNB and AIPSCB vs FCI.

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