The new-look Speedy Tigers will face the heavyweights in the 30th edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup (SAS Cup) in Ipoh from May 4-11 in what is deemed a litmus test on home turf.
Under the care of newly-appointed national team head coach Sarjit Singh, the 30-member national training squad will be trimmed down to 18 players after the friendly match against 2024 Paris Olympics qualifier and World No.10 New Zealand on May 1. The Malaysians, ranked World No. 13, will also play a friendly match against the South Koreans, ranked World No. 11, the following day.
“Both friendly matches offer the Speedy Tigers an ideal chance to gauge their strength and capabilities ahead of the SAS Cup. There is a lot of difference between playing local matches and international matches. The players need exposure,” said Sarjit ahead of the team’s departure for Ipoh on April 28.
“It will be our first friendly matches after the selection and training phase. It will help us fine-tune our strategies and identify areas of improvement. These matches are important and will help us get the right combination,”
added Sarjit.
Malaysia emerged champions of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup for the first time in 2022 following a 3-2 win over South Korea, thus ending a 39-year wait for the title.
In the 30th edition of the championship this year, the Malaysians start as defending champions and face the might of New Zealand, Pakistan (World No. 15), Japan (World No. 16), South Korea and Canada (World No. 19) at the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Stadium.
“We will have more than 18 players to try out. Perhaps between 20-22 players. They need time to settle down. When young players are given the chance, they must take the opportunity and give their best on the field,” said Sarjit, adding that the remaining six or seven players not listed for the SAS Cup will remain with the team in Ipoh and continue training in the mornings. They will gear up for the Six Nations Cup in the city of Gniezno, Poland from May 31-June 9.
“We have not set any targets for the team in the SAS Cup. Our long-term target is the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. The SAS Cup will be our first international assignment and every match is important. All the teams are preparing for the next process of qualifying for the 2028 Olympics. Korea, Japan, Pakistan and Malaysia did not qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics and as such preparations for the next process have already started.
“The competition for the Olympics qualifying round will only get tougher and tougher. We need to have a good planning structure. If every year the national team is able to play between 40-45 matches, then we are headed in the right direction in building this team,” said Sarjit.
He stressed that the players would not be put under any pressure in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
“We don’t want to pressure them. As long as they give their full commitment to every match, play all out, play well, we will be satisfied with their performance and result. Otherwise, they have to train harder,” he said.
