Kuala lumpur: The national men's hockey team has been given a clear mandate to qualify for the World Cup finals, with no other target set for the World Cup Qualifiers in Ismailia, Egypt, from March 1 to 8. National men's hockey head coach Sarjit Singh emphasized the necessity for the team to reach the final of the tournament to secure automatic qualification for the World Cup. According to BERNAMA News Agency, Sarjit Singh stated, "We should be in the final because we have the players and they have been working hard. Reaching the final of the qualifiers will ensure our place in the World Cup. When you play for third and fourth place, it becomes another pressure game. We are also at a disadvantage as matches on the other side, including the other qualifier in Chile, will be played on March 8," he noted during a press conference. On the squad's development and preparations, Sarjit highlighted the team's steady improvement, particularly in fitness. However, he noted that further progress is needed, especially in defense and finishing. "We need to improve our defense. Our defense has become tighter and we have improved a lot over the past two years. We also need to take our chances. When we get opportunities, we must learn how to kill the game as early as possible by scoring goals," he added. Meanwhile, national men's team manager Datuk Ahmad Najmi Abdul Razak acknowledged the tough challenge ahead as the World Cup qualifiers will take place during the fasting month. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence in the national players, most of whom are Muslims, to perform at their best despite fasting. "We have already discussed this matter and we acknowledge that it is not easy to compete while fasting. That is why we have implemented various programmes for the players to ensure they remain hydrated and energised despite playing during the fasting month," he explained. In the World Cup qualifiers, Malaysia has been drawn into Group B alongside Pakistan, China, and Austria. The national squad will open their campaign ag ainst Austria on March 1, followed by Pakistan the next day, before concluding the group stage against China on March 4.