KARACHI, March 8: Pakistan is placed with formidable Australia, Belgium and Chile in Pool C in the men's Junior World Cup hockey to be played in Rotterdam from June 29 to July 10.

Each team will play every other team in its pool once (three matches). The top three will qualify for next round while the fourth-placed teams in each Pool will play off for 13th to 16th position.

India is placed with Holland, Poland and Egypt in Pool D. Pakistan is seeded sixth in the event while India is the top Asian team seeded fourth in the event. European teams Spain and Germany are the number one and two seeds respectively in the contest.

Pakistan kingpins are hopeful of retaining the title this time due to better preparations and experienced side. However, in the next round, the four pools will combine to form two groups of six.

Teams will take forward the points earned against the other qualified teams from their Pool and then play the remaining teams not from their original group to complete five preliminary round matches.

The top two teams in each six-team group at the end of this phase of the competition will progress to the semi-finals. This year's Junior World Cup will be the eighth staging of the event, with the last edition in 2001 won by India in Hobart, Australia. Germany has dominated with four titles in the 26-year history of the event, with Pakistan and Australia the other teams to have won the elite crown. -PPI