PETALING JAYA: The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) have made the bold move to name a young squad for the Asia Team Championships from Feb 3-8 in Qingdao, China.
In the men’s singles, national No. 2 and 21-year-old Justin Hoh has been selected along with Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin, Eogene Ewe and Kong Wei Xiang, 17.
National No. 1 and world No. 23 Leong Jun Hao has not been included in the team.
In the men’s doubles, BAM have decided to go with world No. 17 Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi, world No. 33 Mohd Haikal Nazri-Choong Hon Jian and Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing (No. 36).
Big guns such as world No. 2 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and world No. 6 Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun have not been included.
It was the same in the women’s doubles as world No. 2 Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah and world No. 20 Teoh Mei Xing-Go Pei Kee will not play a part this time.
Instead, 19-year-olds and world No. 25 Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting were given the nod along with world No. 73 Chong Jie Yu-Vanessa Ng and Cheng Su Hui-Tan Zhing Yi (No. 76).
There were no surprises in the women’s singles though as K. Letshanaa, Wong Ling Ching, Siti Zulaika Azmi and Oo Shan Zi have been picked.
In the men’s event, Malaysia have been drawn with Indonesia and Myanmar in Group D.
In the women’s event, Malaysia will only play China in Group W and are guaranteed qualification to the quarter-finals.
The Asia Team meet acts as a qualifier for the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals from April 24-May 3 in Horsens, Denmark.
