LAHORE: Led by Abdul Haseem Khan, Pakistan hockey squad left for New Zealand on Monday to play five Test series before departing to Australia for another bilateral series of four matches, as part of preparations for the upcoming Word League, a qualifying round for the next year World Cup.

Umar Bhutta is acting as deputy to Haseem.

As per FIH rankings, Australia is currently the world’s top hockey country while New Zealand is at the 8th place.

Pakistan is at its worst-ever position of 13th and therefore failed to play the World Cup in 2014 and Olympics in 2016 for the first time in country’s history.

Green-shirts’ entry in the next World Cup is looking certain after the FIH has increased the number of participation teams to 16 from 12.

However, the upcoming World League round, to be held in London in June this year, will decide the teams which will qualify for the World Cup.

Besides Pakistan, strong teams of Olympic champions Argentina, Holland, England, India and two top teams of the ongoing World League Round Two being held in Belfast will play in London.

The first three matches against New Zealand will be held at the International Hockey Stadium, Wellington, on March 17, 18 and 20 while the remaining two matches will be played at the Trust House Hockey, Wairarapa, Clareville on March 22 and 23.

The four matches in Australia will be played at Marrara Hockey Centre, Darwin, on March 28, 29, 31 and April 1.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2017