KUALA LUMPUR — Local hockey players are undaunted by the inclusion of overseas teams in the 2025 Malaysia Hockey League (MHL), instead, they are eager to test their strength when they face off against them.
The Malaysia Hockey Confederation (MHC) recently announced that the Australian team, Territory Stingers, will join the MHL in 2025, alongside the Liaoning Hockey Team from China, which has already competed in the league this year.
Despite receiving guidance from world legend Kim Sang-ryul, the Liaoning men’s team only finished in seventh place in this year’s MHL.
However, their women’s team fared much better, securing second place in the league and emerging as champions of the Vivian May Soars Cup.
For Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) forward Muhammad Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal, the arrival of foreign teams poses no concern.
He is focused on helping his team defend their title and maintaining his position as the league’s top scorer.
This season, Azrai demonstrated his sharpness in front of goal, scoring a total of 32 goals.
“Up until now, I haven’t seen their player roster, but to me, it’s not an issue. We’ve never played against them, but I’m confident that our team, TNB, has a stronger lineup. So, I don’t see any problems.
“My goal for next year’s MHL is to help TNB retain the treble championship, and personally, I aim to keep my title as the league’s top scorer for three consecutive seasons.
“Although we won the championship this year, I’m still not satisfied because there are many areas where we need to improve,” said Azrai, speaking at a sponsorship event with Mizuno Malaysia today.
Azrai’s teammate, Shello Silverius, shared a similar perspective on the presence of the two foreign teams in next year’s MHL.
“It will be the first time an Australian team competes in the Malaysian league, so we’ll see how they perform on the field,” said Shello.
The 2025 MHL is expected to take place from January 4 to February 25. — December 1, 2024