KUALA LUMPUR – National sepak takraw head coach Ahmad Jais Baharun is banking on his team’s rigorous simulation sessions during Ramadan to propel them to victory and clinch the quadrant title at the Sepak Takraw World Cup in Bihar, India, scheduled from March 20 to 25.
Speaking to Scoop, Ahmad, who led the national regu team to win the World Cup last year, said that the simulations were essential to help the team adapt to the weather conditions in India, where matches will be played in the afternoon.
He also mentioned that the simulations were necessary to prepare the players for competing while fasting during the ongoing month of Ramadan.
“It has not been easy for us during Ramadan, as our players have to train for the World Cup in the afternoon while fasting. We need to conduct our simulation training in the afternoon to also prepare the boys for the Indian weather, as the matches will be played in the afternoons and the climate is expected to reach more than 40 degrees in Bihar.
“Prior to this year’s World Cup, we were used to training at night, and in the previous World Cup, most of our matches were also played at night. However, we cannot complain about the timing of the fixtures in the upcoming World Cup; we have to adapt.
“The month of Ramadan is still ongoing, and the players will also be fasting during the tournament, so they need to be well-prepared. But I’ve seen the progress my players have made, and they have been putting in a lot of effort and making sacrifices to get the best outcome.
“With the intense training they’ve undergone over the past few weeks, I am very confident that we will be able to clinch the quadrant title, despite being new to the category and lacking experience in this event.
“I’m also planning to use this year’s World Cup as a platform to assess my players, ensuring that we hit our target in clinching gold at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and the Asian Cup,” said Ahmad when contacted.
It’s understood that former national captain Afifuddin Mohd Razali has also been recalled to the squad for the World Cup.
Malaysia has opted to field teams in the men’s doubles as well as the men’s quadrant events. The event is also set to be included in this year’s Bangkok SEA Games (December).
Malaysia won the doubles and inter-regu categories at the World Cup, beating Thailand in both finals when it was held at the Titiwangsa Stadium last year.
This year’s World Cup will feature 20 nations: India, Brazil, China, Chinese Taipei, France, Indonesia, Italy, Iran, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, the United States, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
It is set to be a busy year for the national squad, as besides the World Cup and SEA Games, Kuala Lumpur will also host the Asian Cup from May 9 to 18. – March 19, 2025