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Key Points

The Malaysian hockey team has arrived first in Rajgir, Bihar for the Asia Cup 2025. Captain Marhan Jalil expressed excitement about the tournament while acknowledging India and Korea as strong opponents. Head coach Sarjit Kundan emphasized this is a young team building towards the 2028 Olympics. Malaysia opens their campaign against Bangladesh on August 29 in Pool B.

Key Points: Malaysia Arrives First for Asia Cup Hockey Rajgir Bihar 2025

  • Malaysia aims for podium finish as No.2 ranked team in tournament
  • Team building towards 2028 Olympics with focus on Asian Games
  • Captain cites India and Korea as toughest opponents in Pool B
  • Early arrival allows for warm-up games before August 29 opener
2 min read

Malaysia, first team to arrive for Asia Cup Rajgir, Bihar 2025

Malaysia hockey team arrives early in Rajgir for Asia Cup 2025. Captain Marhan Jalil targets victory, calls India and Korea tough opponents in tournament.

"It is very exciting to be here in Rajgir. We look forward to having a good tournament and we have prepared well. - Marhan Jalil"

Patna, August 23

Malaysia arrived in Patna, Bihar on Saturday morning for the prestigious Asia Cup Rajgir, Bihar 2025. Malaysia were the finalists in the previous edition held in Jakarta where they lost the title match to Korea 1-2 but this time, the Captain expressed that the team is here to win, as per a release from Hockey India.

"It is very exciting to be here in Rajgir. We look forward to having a good tournament and we have prepared well. Hosts India will be a tough team to beat because they have played so many top teams in Pro League and have the right experience and exposure in international hockey," expressed Marhan Jalil, as quoted from a release by Hockey India.

Further he added that the defending champions Korea will also be a team to watch out for.

"Korea will also be a good team to watch out for. We played them earlier this year and they are looking sharp. In all, we look forward to a good tournament and our first aim will be to make it to the Super 4s," Jalil added.

Expressing his delight over a warm welcome, head coach Sarjit Kundan said, "Firstly, we are grateful for the warm welcome and we are happy to be here early and get a few warm-up games."

"We are a young team building towards 2028 Olympics and most important for us is the Asian Games next year. I am hopeful they will play well. Before the Nations Cup, we travelled to Australia and Korea. After this, we have the Sultan Azlan Shah with all the good teams going to be there. In this tournament, we just want to play well. We are ranked No.2 in the event and hopefully we are in the podium," he added.

Malaysia will play the opening match of the tournament on 29th August against Bangladesh. They are grouped in Pool B along with Korea, Bangladesh and Chinese Taipei while Pool A features India, Japan, China and Kazakhstan.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Malaysia has always been a strong hockey team. Their captain is right - India will be tough to beat at home, but I'm excited to see some competitive matches. Hope the infrastructure in Rajgir is world-class for such a prestigious event.
A
Aman W
Good to see teams arriving early. Shows their seriousness about the tournament. Malaysia vs Korea final rematch would be exciting to watch! 🏆
S
Sarah B
As someone who follows international hockey, Malaysia's development program is impressive. They're building for the future while remaining competitive now. Respect to their coach's long-term vision!
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Vikram M
Hope the organizers have arranged proper accommodation and practice facilities. Sometimes we struggle with hospitality for international events. This is India's chance to show we can host world-class tournaments properly.
N
Nikhil C
Malaysia vs Bangladesh opener should be interesting. Asian hockey is getting more competitive year by year. Looking forward to some exciting matches! 💪

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