Malaysia will face a tough 2018 Men’s Hockey World Cup campaign after being drawn together with the Netherlands, Germany and Pakistan.
The groups and schedule of the tournament, which will take place from November 28 to December 16 in Bhubaneswar, India, were announced by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Wednesday.
Drawn into Pool D, the Speedy Tigers, who qualified after finishing fourth at the 2016–17 FIH Hockey World League Semi-Finals, are scheduled to face the Netherlands on December 1, followed by Pakistan (December 5) and Germany (December 9).
It is arguably the toughest group at this year's World Cup, with the three opponents lifting the trophy nine out of the past 13 occasions.
In other groups, Rio Olympics winners Argentina will compete with New Zealand, Spain and France in Pool A, while defending champions Australia are in Pool B with England, Ireland and China.
Host nation India are in Pool C alongside Belgium, Canada and South Africa.
A first-place finish in each pool will ensure a place in the quarter-finals, while second- and third-place teams will battle it out in the play-off stage to reach the last eight.
Malaysia's best performance at the World Cup was finishing fourth in 1975, while they finished last in 2014.
The groups and schedule of the tournament, which will take place from November 28 to December 16 in Bhubaneswar, India, were announced by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Wednesday.
Drawn into Pool D, the Speedy Tigers, who qualified after finishing fourth at the 2016–17 FIH Hockey World League Semi-Finals, are scheduled to face the Netherlands on December 1, followed by Pakistan (December 5) and Germany (December 9).
It is arguably the toughest group at this year's World Cup, with the three opponents lifting the trophy nine out of the past 13 occasions.
In other groups, Rio Olympics winners Argentina will compete with New Zealand, Spain and France in Pool A, while defending champions Australia are in Pool B with England, Ireland and China.
Host nation India are in Pool C alongside Belgium, Canada and South Africa.
A first-place finish in each pool will ensure a place in the quarter-finals, while second- and third-place teams will battle it out in the play-off stage to reach the last eight.
Malaysia's best performance at the World Cup was finishing fourth in 1975, while they finished last in 2014.
