KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will aim to kill two birds with one stone at next month’s Asia Mixed Team Championships in Qingdao by striving to reach the final for the first time, which would also secure an automatic spot for the prestigious Sudirman Cup in Xiamen, China from April 27-May 4.
National coaching director Rexy Mainaky feels that it is crucial for the team to achieve a positive result at the Asia team meet to show that Malaysia remains a powerhouse in the region, especially as other countries continue to raise their standards and close the gap.
The tournament in Qingdao will also serve as a qualifier for the Sudirman Cup.
In the 2023 edition in Dubai, the national team were defeated by China in the quarter-finals, missing out on an automatic spot for the Sudirman Cup.
Fortunately, Malaysia’s world ranking helped the team secure a place in the prestigious event.
However, for this edition, Rexy sees the need to first overcome the challenge of the group stage as Malaysia have been placed in Group B alongside Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Kazakhstan.
Only the top two teams will advance to the knockout stage.
“We need to be cautious of Hong Kong and Indonesia in the group stage, and this means that whoever is selected to represent the country will give their best performance, as we want to show that Malaysia remains one of the strongest nations in badminton,” said Rexy.
Nevertheless, the Indonesian coach is not yet prepared to reveal the list of players who will represent the country in the tournament, stating that the official announcement will be made tomorrow.
The Asia Mixed Team Championship format allows each country to send a maximum of 16 players, with eight men and eight women.
“Please allow me some time and wait for the announcement on Thursday. I will provide a detailed explanation about the players chosen and the selection process on that day,” he added.
