ISLAMABAD, April 5: The Pakistan hockey team is set to leave for China on Thursday evening to compete in this month's World Cup qualifying round. The 18-member squad along with five officials will be flying out from Islamabad and will play their first match against Canada on April 12.

Other teams in Pakistan's group are England, Malaysia, Egypt and South Africa.

From this tournament, five teams will get tickets to Germany for the World Cup finals this fall.

Assistant coach Rana Mujhaid said all the players were in good shape for the tournament.