Malaysia to be top 5 at Hockey Junior World Cup

The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) are targeting for Malaysia to be in the top five at the Hockey Junior World Cup 2013 which will be held in New Delhi from Dec 6-15.

MHC president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah said the target was realistic taking into account the national junior team were the best in Asia after winning the Asian Junior Hockey championship last year.

"I want us to get past the qualifying stage and finish among the top five," he told reporters after chairing MHC's annual general meeting here today.

Malaysia qualified for New Delhi after edging Pakistan 2-1 in the final of the Asian Junior hockey championship in Melaka last year.

In the draw for the Junior World Cup in July, Malaysia were drawn in Group D together with Pakistan, England and South Africa.

Group A consists of defending champions Germany, South Korea, Belgium and Egypt while Australia, Spain, Argentina and France make up Group B.

In Group C are Holland, New Zealand, India and Canada.

In other matters, Tengku Abdullah said he hoped hockey leagues could be created specifically for Indian and Chinese players in the country.

"This initiative will give us a wider talent pool. Now, we see only Malay players dominating this sport. "I would like to see more Indian and Chinese players in the national team," he said.

He welcomed cooperation from sports associations or organisations involved in sports development involving the two communities to help realise the objective.