Malaysia to contest Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Cup retaining Asian Games’ line-up
The Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF), the governing body of the sport, is going to finalise an 18-member squad for the forthcoming Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Cup commencing from May 05, in Malaysian city of Ipoh.
However, there will be no surprise in the announcement, as officials wanted to retain most of the players who took part in the Asian Games. Some 25 players partook in the training session, excluding Mohamed Amin Rahim, who missed the camp due to injuries.
Among the eighteen, fifteen will be the same players who were part of the team that managed a silver medal in the Asian Games back in 2010. It is pertinent to mention here that the Malaysian team edged past India in the semi-final and faced Pakistan in the
final clash. However, they failed to outclass the Greenshirts and lost the game by two goals, 2-0.
Only three players will be picked up from new faces. But, these numbers could be reduced to two if Amin Rahim succeeds to get a place in the squad.
Tai Beng Hai, the national coach of the Malaysian team, used the practice match against the Black Sticks as the final trials to confirm the squad. Apart from the Asian Games line-up, Shahrin Mohd, Abu Bakar, Mohd Izzat Rahim and Mohd Fitri will have a tough
competition to get a place in the final team.
While speaking to the media, Tai Beng Hai said that the core team that contested the Asiad would be tested again, while the youngsters could be inducted if they showed potentials in the trials.
He was of the opinion that the event will give them a great chance to face the world’s best teams and to learn new strategies. He stated, “This (Sultan Azlan Shah Cup) may be an invitational meet but it offers us a good chance to gauge our standard against
the top teams and to try out various strategies.”
He stated that the players must show competitiveness in the tournament, adding that they would have to work hard in order to get a berth in the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Kelvinder, who played vital role in the World Cup qualifiers back in 2009, has recovered from a major injury. The coach stated that Kelvinder had been tested in the practice match and his fitness would be major concerns for them. He is the player who could
change the face of the scoreboard at any time, he added.
Apart from Malaysia, Pakistan, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, India and Great Britain are among the other squads to fight in the invitational tournament. Malaysia will play their first game against Great Britain on May 05.
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