Malaysia became the first team to arrive in Patna, Bihar, on Saturday morning for the prestigious Asia Cup Rajgir, Bihar 2025. The team, which finished as runners-up in the previous edition held in Jakarta after a close 1-2 defeat to Korea, is determined to go all the way this time. Speaking ahead of the tournament, Malaysia’s captain Marhan Jalil expressed confidence in his team’s preparation and highlighted the challenge posed by the hosts.

“It is very exciting to be here in Rajgir. We look forward to a good tournament, and we have prepared well. Hosts India will be a tough team to beat because they have played top teams in the Pro League and have the right experience and exposure in international hockey,” Jalil said in a statement released by Hockey India. He also identified defending champions Korea as another strong contender, adding, “Korea will also be a good team to watch out for. We played them earlier this year, and they are looking sharp. Our first aim will be to make it to the Super 4s.”

Malaysia’s head coach Sarjit Kundan expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and emphasized the importance of early arrival. “We are happy to be here early and get a few warm-up games. We are a young team building towards the 2028 Olympics, and the Asian Games next year are a key target. Before the Nations Cup, we travelled to Australia and Korea, and after this, we have the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup coming up. For now, we just want to play well. We are ranked No. 2 in this event and hope to finish on the podium,” Kundan said.

Malaysia will play the opening match of the tournament on August 29 against Bangladesh. They are placed in Pool B alongside Korea, Bangladesh, and Chinese Taipei, while Pool A features India, Japan, China, and Kazakhstan.