COACH SARJIT NAMES FIVE NEWCOMERS FOR NATIONS CUP CHALLENGE

KUALA LUMPUR, National men's hockey head coach Sarjit Singh has included five newcomers in the 20-man team for the 2024 Nations Cup in Gniezno, Poland from May 31-June 9. National team management committee chairman Datuk Ahmad Najmi Abdul Razak said today that the five are midfielder Syawal Abd Razak, defenders Muhamad Kamarulzaman Kamaruddin and Muhammad Arif Syafie Ishak and forwards Naaveennash Panicker Thevendran and Nur Rahull Hrsikesa Thaitchana Muruthi. As in previous editions, each team will be allowed to take 20 players to the tournament but only 18 players can be registered while the other two will be placed on standby in case of injuries. Ahmad Najmi also hopes that the 20 players will do their best and not be afraid of the challenge awaiting them in Gniezno. "This tournament will give them a more challenging experience, especially the five debutants. "What want to see from the players is the boldness to fight and play well,' he said in a statement issued by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC). Malaysia, drawn in Group B with France, Pakistan and Canada, finished fourth in the inaugural edition in 2022. Following is the list of 20 players for the 2024 Nations Cup in Gniezno, Poland: NAME POSITION MUHAMMAD HAFIZUDDIN OTHMAN GOALKEEPER MUHAMAD ZAIMI MAT DERIS GOALKEEPER MUHAMMAD MARHAN JALIL (CAPT) DEFENDER SYED MOHAMAD SYAFIQ SYED CHOLAN DEFENDER MUHAMMAD AMIRUL HAMIZAN AZHAR DEFENDER MUHAMMAD NAJIB ABU HASSAN DEFENDER MUHAMAD FARIS HARIZAN DEFENDER MUHAMAD KAMARULZAMAN KAMARUDDIN DEFENDER MUHAMMAD ARIF SYAFIE ISHAK DEFENDER MOHD FITRI SAARI MIDFIELDER NIK MUHAMMAD AIMAN NIK ROZEMI MIDFIELDER SHELLO SILVERIUS MIDFIELDER AZIMUDDIN SYAKIR KAMARUDDIN MIDFIELDER SYAWAL ABD RAZAK MIDFIELDER FAIZAL SAARI FORWARD MUHAMMAD AZRAI AIZAD ABU KAMAL FORWARD MOHAMAD AKHIMULLAH ANUAR ESOOK FORWARD MUHAJIR ABDU RAUF FORWARD NAAVEENNASH PANICKER THEVENDRAN FORWARD NUR RAHULL HRSIKESA THAITCHANA MURUTHI FORWARD Source: BERNAMA News Agency