KUALA LUMPUR – Brothersticks Universiti Putra Malaysia B (BUPMB) head coach Wan Zaharuddin Abdullah credited the national junior players for leading the team to victory as the overall champions of the 2024 TNB-QNET Selangor Hockey League (SHL).
The team, with an average age of 25, triumphed by defeating a star-studded Magic Zone Hockey Club (MZHC) team featuring former national players 8-0 in the final at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium today.
Key national junior players for BUPMB included Che Nur Aqilrullah, Wan Muhammad Najmie, and Shafiq Ikhmal Daniel, all of whom competed in last year’s FIH Men’s Junior World Cup.
Wan Zaharuddin believes these players have the potential to join the senior national team under head coach Sarjit Singh.
“We won the overall championship in 2018 and were runners-up in 2019, so I’m thrilled to achieve this feat again after over five years,” said Zaharuddin after his team’s prize-giving ceremony.
“We have several junior players in the team; they were like our horses, as their speed and energy made the team look solid on the turf. Without them, we wouldn’t have won this title.”
“They have a lot of potential, and we could see how well they have used the opportunities given to them by giving their 100%.
“If they are given the same opportunity on the senior national team, I’m pretty sure they will end up becoming great players in the future.”
Wan Zaharuddin also praised his team for bouncing back after losing 2-1 to MZHC in a league match a couple of weeks ago, which saw MZHC lift the SHL league division 1 title.
The SHL was contested in two men’s divisions, with the top two teams from each division competing for the overall champion’s title on the final day.
“We took revenge against them with our fast-paced hockey gameplay, which was the only way to beat an experienced team like MZHC,” Wan Zaharuddin explained.
“Our young players balanced hockey and their studies well, and now we want to focus on winning and performing strongly in upcoming tournaments.”
The SHL, returning after a five-year hiatus, ran from April 20 to June 1, aiming to unearth new hockey talents in the country.
The ninth edition was played at the Lembah Pantai Hockey Stadium and the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium, featuring three divisions (two men’s and one women’s), open to all age groups. – June 1, 2024