KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) has meticulously selected eight of their best national bowlers to compete in the International Bowling Federation (IBF) World Cup in Hong Kong next January, confident they are suited to tackle the event’s demanding format.
The squad, comprising four men and four women, will participate in both the individual and team events from January 5 to 14.
Making the list are Asia’s top-ranked bowlers Rafiq Ismail and Sin Li Jane, alongside Timmy Tan, Tun Hakim Tun Hasnul Azam, Ahmad Muaz Fishol, reigning world champion Natasha Roslan, Gillian Lim, and Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman.
MTBC secretary-general Maradona Chok highlighted the unique challenges of the World Cup’s format, explaining that both individual and team events are structured as round-robin competitions, requiring bowlers to accumulate points to advance to the next stage, culminating in the final four. Losing semi-finalists will then contest for the bronze medal.
“We have selected the most experienced team, as we believe this gives us the strongest chance in this format. Every game matters, and consistency is the key,” said Maradona.
“The World Cup is grueling, requiring consistent high-scoring games from start to finish, often in head-to-head matchups. It demands a strong mindset. This is why we’ve chosen players who are both experienced and currently in form,” he added.
The final squad was reportedly approved only last week.
Since its rebranding in 2022, Malaysia has secured one bronze medal at the IBF World Cup, through the women’s team in Queensland, Australia.
In its earlier iteration as the AMF World Cup (an individual-only tournament), Syafiq Ridhwan Abdul Malek remains the sole Malaysian to win gold, achieving the feat in 2012.
Maradona also addressed opportunities for those who did not make the World Cup squad, noting they would still compete in other events next year, such as the World Championships, the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG), and the Bangkok SEA Games.
“The World Cup squad selection does not impact the squads for the World Championships, AIMAG, or SEA Games, as these tournaments have separate criteria set by the National Sports Council (NSC) and the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM).
“Our coaches are working on the best selection strategies for these squads, which will be presented to the NSC and OCM for approval,” Maradona explained.
MTBC remains Malaysia’s most consistent and successful National Sports Association (NSA) in recent years. This year, the national bowlers achieved a record eight gold medals, five silver, and four bronze to emerge as overall champions at the Asian Championships in Bangkok.
Additionally, Sin Li Jane made history on the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour in the United States, becoming the first Malaysian to win four titles in a single season and the first Asian to be crowned PWBA Player of the Year. – November 21, 2024