Chennai: The National Junior Men’s Hockey Squad will make a debut at the 96th edition of the All-India MCC Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey Championship scheduled for July 10-20, marking the first time an international side is participating in the competition.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) announced that the national squad, nicknamed the Young Tigers, will use the tournament as a preparatory platform for the 2025 Sultan of Johor Cup in October and the FIH Men’s Junior World Cup set to take place from November 28 to December 10 in Chennai and Madurai, India.
The MHC statement detailed that Malaysia will compete in four Group B matches, beginning with a contest against India Navy on July 12 at the SDAT-Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai. The Young Tigers will then face the Central Board of Direct Taxes on July 13, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Ltd on July 15, and conclude the Group B stage by competing against Hockey Karnataka on July 16.
The inclusion of the Young Tigers, alongside India Navy and the Central Board of Direct Taxes, marks the introduction of three new teams to the tournament. National junior men’s head coach Nor Saiful Zaini expressed optimism that participation in the event would enhance the players’ performance and meet the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) set by the team, fostering better team cohesion.
Coach Zaini emphasized the importance of achieving individual KPIs and executing tasks effectively, while also highlighting the tournament’s role as a measure of the team’s strengths and weaknesses. This assessment will be instrumental in addressing any issues before the Sultan of Johor Cup and the 2025 Junior World Cup.
The Young Tigers are slated to travel to Chennai, India, tomorrow at 9.30 am, accompanied by a contingent of 18 players and seven officials.