Kuala lumpur: National women's hockey head coach C.R. Kumar has set a firm target for his squad to break into the top four at the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, scheduled to run from Sept 19 to Oct 4. He believes it is time for the Malaysians to move beyond their historical results despite Malaysia facing a daunting task after being drawn in Group A alongside China, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Taiwan, and Bangladesh.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Kumar emphasized the importance of quality gameplay from the Malaysian women's hockey team as a primary objective. Historically, Malaysia has consistently finished fifth at the Asian Games, a position deemed always within reach. However, Kumar is aiming for a top-four finish this time. "In our pool, we have China and South Korea. China is a world-class team, ranked fourth globally, and South Korea is one of the strongest sides. We aim to beat at least one of these teams to reach the semi-final," he stated.

Addressing reporters during a visit by Deputy Chefs de Mission Mohamad Azlan Iskandar and Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamid to the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, Kumar dismissed concerns about potential fatigue affecting teams that have participated in other major international tournaments close to the Asian Games. "It's a mindset. With advances in science, teams are well-prepared with recovery systems and methods. This is not a setback for them," he explained.

Having collaborated with the team for three months, including a recent exposure stint in Europe, Kumar expressed confidence in the squad's timing for peak performance. He also mentioned that the final player list has been submitted to the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) and that the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) will make the official announcement soon.