Seven players called up for women’s C’wealth Games hockey squad

KUALA LUMPUR: The national women’s hockey team have called up seven new players for training in preparation for next year’s Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, from April 4-15.

They are defenders Putri Nur Batrisyia Nor Nawawi, Ellya Amanina Ellias, Dayang Nuramirah Abang Mahadini and Nor Asfarina Isahyifika Isahhidun; and forwards Siti Zulaika Ismail, Nur Atira Mohamad Ismail and Nuramirah Shakirah Zulkifli.

National coach K. Dharmaraj has retained all 18 players from the team who finished fifth in the Asia Cup in Kakamigahara, Japan, last month.

He said that the seven new players were called up based on their performances in the recent Razak Cup tournament in Kuala Lumpur.

“Experienced midfielder Fazilla Sylvester Silin will join the team next month, so I will have 26 players in the training squad,” said Dharmaraj.

“Fazilla has been undergoing a six-month training course with the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) since June.

“I have called up more players for training so that I will have more options when it comes to selecting the team for the Commonwealth Games.

“I will review the players’ performances in training and also during next month’s National Women’s League (Jan 15-Feb 15).”

The national team began training on Monday and the players will be released to feature for their clubs in the National Women’s League early next month.

Ten teams will feature in the Commonwealth Games and world No. 22 Malaysia are in Group A with England (No. 2), India (No. 10), South Africa (No. 14) and Wales (No. 26).

World No. 4 Australia, New Zealand (No. 5), Scotland (No. 18), Canada (No. 21) and Ghana (No. 30) are in Group B.