Lack of team spirit caused crushing defeat against Indonesian shuttlers – says Muhammad Hafiz Hashim
Malaysia’s Men’s Singles experienced shuttler Muhammad Hafiz Hashim said that Malaysian shuttlers lost to Indonesian opponents in Axiata Cup semi-final because they were lacking the team-spirit which was required to boost the confidence of players while
battling in the court.
The World Number 32 Hafiz Hashim knew that they were without Lee Chong Wei and Tan Boon Heong – Koo Kien Keat but he expressed that the participating shuttlers should have demonstrate a better team spirit.
Hafiz feels that the Axiata Cup was a superb platform for all shuttlers to prove their worth ahead of Thomas Cup Finals, which will be held in China in May.
In Axiata Cup, the Malaysian Tigers lost to Indonesian opponents on Sunday, April 1 with a crushing 0-3 margin.
All shuttlers including Daren Liew, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif and Lim Khim Wah – Goh V Shem lost their matches without impressing the home crowd in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.
Hafiz said that the squad did not support the battling players which was quite disapproving thing considering that it was a team-event tournament in which all participants are supposed to display team-spirit and togetherness.
He said, “The team event is different from individual tournaments. We need the support of the whole team. In Malaysia, there were only a few players on the bench supporting the team. This is quite demoralising. I did not feel the togetherness of the team
this time.”
He added, “We still had a chance to turn the tables on the Indonesians at Cheras but I felt that both Daren and Arif did not go all out. This could have been a perfect platform for them to show their strength in a team event.”
Hafiz Hashim also expressed that Axiata Cup could have been a wonderful warm up championship for the shuttlers to prepare well for the upcoming Thomas Cup Finals.
He also feels that players could have set up a bond between them which is required win team-event matches.
The Indonesians, on the other hand, played disciplined badminton by showing a superb team-spirit which led them to have a sweat taste of victory in an elevated fashion.
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