02/08/2025

SPORTS SATURDAY | AUG 2, 2025

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Pahang ruler backs M-League exit

SHORTS ‘Consistency matters more than world ranking’

SRI PAHANG FC’S decision to withdraw from the 2025/26 Malaysia League (M-League) should serve as a catalyst to strengthen grassroots football development in the state, focusing on nurturing local talent. Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah stated that the financial demands of modern football, especially with clubs relying heavily on imported players, are a major concern. “I welcome Sri Pahang’s decision to pull out. Competing at the Malaysia Cup or M-League level requires significant funding. “It was already expensive before, but now it’s even more so because of the need for foreign players,” the Sultan said in a special interview in conjunction with his 66th

recurring issues. Addressing the current dominance of naturalised players in the Harimau Malaya squad, Al-Sultan Abdullah, who served as Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president from 2014 to 2017, stressed that priority should be given to local players. “If too many naturalised players are involved, local talent may be overshadowed. This means no prospects, and youth development programmes might fail to inspire young players. “We want quick success, but there must be concrete grassroots programmes. When we successfully produce quality players from the bottom up, we will no longer depend on foreign players,” he explained. – Bernama

birthday, recently. Al-Sultan Abdullah also emphasised the importance of establishing more football academies and organising school and district leagues as platforms to discover young talents and strengthen the local football ecosystem. “Not just Sri Pahang, but teams in other states should have their own leagues. I believe it is time to establish more academies in every state or district. However, I recognise that such initiatives require substantial financial resources,” he said. The Pahang ruler also expressed hope that the “Tok Gajah” club would utilise this break from the league effectively to restructure its club management, including player development and financial stability, to avoid

NATIONAL WOMEN’S doubles ace M. Thinaah is more concerned with consistency than occupying the world No. 2 ranking with her partner, Pearly Tan. The 27-year-old Thinaah said their priority is to remain consistent on the court and get positive results in every competitive outing. “For me, being world No. 2 is just a number. For us, the main thing is to continue performing consistently and always supporting each other every time we take to the court,” she told reporters after a training session at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara yesterday. Thinaah also said that their preparation is proceeding smoothly ahead of the 2025 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships scheduled to be held in Paris from Aug 25 to Sept 1. “Actually, we are really excited to be back on court training together... definitely, the world meet is a big tournament and one that we are really excited to be competing in. We are just looking forward to it and preparing well for it,” she said. MFL confident of fans’ support THE Malaysian Football League (MFL) is confident that fans will continue to support the 2025/2026 Super League season despite the absence of several teams from last season’s campaign. MFL acting chief executive officer Mohd Shazli Shaik Mohd believes support for the Super League is at a positive level, judging by the increased number of fans turning up for their teams’ pre-season matches. “I think the perception (that there will be less fan support) is due to the absence of Kedah, Sri Pahang and Perak, who are among the big names in the league. Some even think that we will lose fan support. “But we can see that supporters still turn up at the stadiums to watch their teams play in pre-season matches. This is a positive development,” he told reporters after the launch of the new Astro X Malaysia League season in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday. The 2025/2026 Malaysia League (M League) campaign will kick off on Aug 8 with the Charity Shield match between Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) and Selangor FC ALL the teams competing in the 2025-2026 Malaysia League (M-League) season can add three more local players to their squad, taking the total number of players they can register to 33. The Malaysian Football League (MFL) said the MFL Board of Directors decided this at a special meeting recently after considering applications seeking additional quota for local players from several clubs, particularly from the Malaysia A1 Semi-Pro League. “This is because these clubs, during the first season, are exempted from having developmental teams (President’s Cup, Youth Cup, U-17 and U-10), in addition to the abolishment of the MFL Cup for the 2025 2026 season. “Therefore, the additional quota of three local players can provide more player options for clubs without developmental teams,” the MFL said in a statement today. With the addition of three local players, the M-League clubs can now register 33 players - 18 local players and 15 foreigners. All clubs can register their players until the closing date of the first transfer window on Aug 31, while the second transfer window will be from Jan 5, 2026, to Feb 1, 2026. at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium. Boost for local players

Malaysia’s Nur Izzuddin, Goh Sze Fei (left) and Soh Wooi Yik, Aaron Chia – BERNAMAPIC

Malaysia’s doubles peaking at right time for World Championships All systems go

I F there was ever a time for Malaysian bad minton to demonstrate more than just occasional brilliance, it was during the recent back-to-back tournaments – the Japan Open and the China Open. The stakes were high, and this time, Malaysia’s doubles teams didn’t just participate; they made a significant impact. Starting with the men’s doubles, four Malaysian pairs reached the quarterfinals of the Japan Open, a feat not achieved in years. This wasn’t a coincidence. World No. 3 pair Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin, Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi, Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun, along with Tan Wee Kiong and Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub, all played with a renewed sense of purpose. However, it was world No. 2 pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik who finally started performing like the Olympic medallists they are in recent tournaments. At the China Open, they not only defeated India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty but did so convincingly in straight games. Their journey to the final may not have resulted in a title, but their composure and THE national youth bowling squad has officially clinched the overall championship title at the 24th Asian Youth Bowling Championship in Doha, Qatar, after securing three additional gold medals yesterday. With only two events remaining – the men’s and women’s Masters – Malaysia has emerged as the dominant force, collecting a total of five gold and four bronze medals, making it nearly impossible for any other nation to overtake them in the standings. In a historic feat, the national team also won both the men’s and women’s team events for the first time in the tournament’s history on Thursday. In the women’s team category, Malaysia – represented by Qurratu’ain Izdihar Pozi, Adelia

of their form, confidence, and status among the world’s top 10. With BAM’s support, they have delivered on the court at just the right time. So, what’s next? For starters, Malaysia is no longer heading to the World Championships as underdogs. We now have genuine threats in both men’s and women’s doubles. Chia and Soh have awakened from their previous lull, and Pearly and Thinaah are playing their best badminton since finishing fourth at the Paris Olympics. Of course, we should temper expectations. A medal isn’t guaranteed. But for the first time, it feels justified to say we’re in the mix – not just hoping for upsets. The tournaments in Tokyo and Changzhou were about more than just victories or podium finishes. They were about building momentum and confidence, the kind of rhythm needed before facing the world’s biggest competition. In that regard, Malaysia’s doubles teams have finally delivered a performance that lives up to the anticipation. It’s time to step up our game. The rest of the world has received a warning – and it comes with the Jalur Gemilang proudly displayed. – T. Vignesh, scoop.my of 5,052 pinfalls. Meanwhile, Qurratu’ain Izdihar continued her stellar performance by emerging as the overall women’s individual champion (all events), amassing 3,805 pinfalls to secure her fourth personal gold medal of the tournament. Second place went to Taiwan’s Huang Hsin Teng with 3,559 pinfalls, while Malaysia’s Intan Nor Azliman took bronze with a close 3,555 pinfalls. In the men’s overall individual category, Aqil added another medal to his collection by securing bronze with a total of 3,921 pinfalls, behind Nasser Alkandari from Kuwait (4,037) and Abdulrahman Al Doseri from Qatar (3,960), who took gold and silver, respectively. – Bernama

control showcased a top pair finding their rhythm at the perfect moment. Let’s be clear, this wasn’t mere luck. It was a combination of skill and confidence. If they can maintain this level of play, they could be serious contenders at the World Championships. As for world No. 3 women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah, they have been the most exciting pair for Malaysia, though often hindered by injuries and/or confidence issues. However, things seemed to change after they signed a new four-year contract with BAM. Some attribute this change to financial incentives, while others point to the security it brings. I believe it’s about having clarity. At the Japan Open, they triumphed over Japan’s popular pair Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida, reached the finals, and held their own against the formidable Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning of China. They then made it to the semifinals of the China Open, reminding everyone that they are more than just attractive faces for sponsorships. This isn’t just a comeback; it’s a reclaiming Nur Syazalee, Intan Nor Azliman, and Natalie Chong – struck gold after scoring a total of 4,775 pinfalls over 24 games played across two days. The silver medal went to Taiwan, which recorded 4,563 pinfalls, while Malaysia B team, comprising Nursyarafana Amri, Nurul Dayana Suhaidan, Helena Jamal, and Balqis Nurdini Khairul, secured bronze with a total of 4,456 pinfalls. In the men’s team event, Malaysia’s quartet of Sayed Abdullah, Hafiz Azhlan, Muhammad Aqil Faizal, and Wan Muhammad Zarif Mazlan overcame a strong challenge from Kuwait to secure gold by the narrowest of margins – just two pinfalls – finishing with a total of 5,198. Qatar claimed the bronze medal with a total

M’sia strike gold in bowling championship