The ninth men's Asia Cup hockey tournament begins in Malaysia tomorrow. Indian hockey's World Cup hopes hinge on Asia Cup triumph since the event offers its winners an automatic World Cup qualification as continental champions. India's challengers are Pakistan, South Korea, Malaysia. Two-time Asia champions India squandered the earlier opportunity to book a World Cup ticket when it failed to secure a top-three finish at the FIH Hockey World League semi-finals in Rotterdam.India will open their campaign in the first match of the Asia Cup against Oman in Malaysia tomorrow followed by match against South Korea on Monday, and against Bangladesh on August 28. The semi-finals will be played on August 30 and the final on September 1.