Rajgir: The Malaysian hockey team reached Rajgir on Saturday morning to take part in the Hero Asia Cup 2025. The tournament is being held in Nalanda, Bihar, and fans are already excited. Last time, Malaysia lost 1-2 to Korea in the final held in Jakarta. This time, the team has come with the aim of winning.
Team captain Marhan Jalil said he was happy to be in Rajgir and that preparations had gone well. He admitted that India will be difficult to beat because they have played against top teams in the Pro League and gained great experience. Jalil also said that Korea, the defending champions, will be another strong side to watch out for.
Head coach Sarjit Kundan thanked organisers for the warm welcome. He said the team was glad to arrive early so they could play practice matches. He explained that Malaysia is a young team working towards the 2028 Olympics and the next Asian Games. The team is currently the second seed in this tournament and hopes to win a medal.
Malaysia will play their first match against Bangladesh on 29 August. They are in Pool B with Korea, Bangladesh and Chinese Taipei. Pool A includes India, Japan, China and Kazakhstan. All matches will be shown live on Sony Sports Network.
