Photo Credit The Suncity News.
Patna, August 23, 2025: Bihar is set to host the Hero Asia Cup Hockey Championship for the first time, with eight international teams participating, including host nation India.
The arrival of teams in Patna has begun, and on Saturday, the Malaysian national hockey team reached the state capital before heading to Rajgir, where the championship will be held.
Malaysia’s opening match in the Asia Cup on August 29:
Malaysia will play the opening clash against Bangladesh on August 29.
They are in Pool B alongside South Korea, Bangladesh and Chinese Taipei in the Hero Asia Cup.
Pool A features India, Japan, China and Kazakhstan.
In the previous edition of the Asia Cup held in Jakarta, Malaysia narrowly missed the title, losing 1-2 to South Korea in the final.
This year, they are determined to go a step further.
Captain’s confidence and challenges ahead in the Asia Cup:
Team captain Marhan Jalil expressed excitement about the championship.
“I am very excited to come to Rajgir. Our preparations have been strong, and we are looking forward to a great competition. It will not be easy to beat India, as they have international exposure and play top pro league teams. South Korea too are a very strong side—fast and fit. Our first target is to make it to the Super-4,” Jalil said.
Head coach Surjit Kundan thanked Bihar for the warm welcome and underlined the broader vision of the Malaysian team.
“We came ahead of schedule, which gives us the chance to play warm-up matches. This team is young, and our main focus is preparing for the 2028 Olympics and the 2026 Asian Games. We recently played in Australia and South Korea, and will also participate in the Sultan Azlan Shah tournament. As the second-seeded team here, our aim is to return with a medal,” Kundan said.
The Hero Asia Cup being held in Rajgir marks Bihar’s maiden opportunity to host an international hockey tournament.
The event is expected to draw global attention and showcase the state’s growing sports infrastructure.
Also Read: Asian Women’s Hockey Champions Trophy 2024: India defeated China in a thrilling encounter by 1-0.
EOM.