Pakistan's national hockey team left for Australia on late Tuesday night to participate in the Champions Trophy scheduled to be held from December 1 to 9 in Melbourne.

The 18-member squad along with officials departed from the country's eastern city of Lahore for Perth, where they will feature in the Nine-a-side International Super Series from November 22- 25. Pakistani team and its coaches described the series as helpful for the preparations of the mega event.

Pakistan has been placed in Group B along with Belgium, Holland and Australia while Group A consists of England, New Zealand, India and 2012 London Olympic gold medalists Germany.

Team manager Akhtar Rasool told media that the team had a combination of senior and junior players that had potential to defeat any strong side in the event.

"We stood seventh in the London Olympics but I hope, this time, we shall produce some improved results," said Rasool, talking to media at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore.

Pakistan team coach made it clear that team's main target would never be the upcoming event but World Cup 2014 and they would adopt attacking strategy in the event.

After dissolving selection committees last month, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) made some surprising changes in the team by appointing seasoned and experienced defender Muhammad Imran as the team captain to replace former captain and world's top goal scorer Sohail Abbas who led the team in London 2012.

Another unexpected and notable move was the return of senior hockey star Waseem Ahmad who retired from the game after Pakistan failed to qualify for the top fours in the 2012 London Olympics.

Pakistan's new hockey captain Imran expressed his seriousness and commitment towards to the eight-nation tournament.

"We shall take every match as final for us. We have prepared hard and will show our best game in the ground. Abbas' absence will matter but we have a young guy to replace him," the team captain Imran told media.