PETALING JAYA: The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has named men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao and women’s doubles player Pearly Tan as joint captains for the national squad competing in the Sudirman Cup in Xiamen, China, from Sunday (April 27) to May 4.
National doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky said the decision to appoint two captains was aimed at sharing the leadership responsibility.
“We chose two captains because if we only picked one, for example Jun Hao, he would also need to focus on his matches. So, we decided to appoint Pearly as well,” he said on Tuesday (April 22).
He added that both players have shown encouraging leadership qualities in the lead-up to the tournament.
“I’ve seen some positive developments in the past 10 days. Pearly, who is usually more reserved, has become more active in sharing input with the team.
“As for Jun Hao, even though this is his first time as captain, I see it as a good experience for his growth,” he said.
The national team held a simulation match on Tuesday as part of preparations for the tournament. They are scheduled to leave for Xiamen on Thursday (April 24).
For this edition, Malaysia have been drawn in Group C alongside Japan, Australia and France.
