KUALA LUMPUR: The national sepak takraw team have received a favourable draw and should have no problems checking into the final of the 2024 Sepak Takraw World Cup at the Titiwangsa Stadium here from May 18-26.
In yesterday’s (Apr 25) official draw held here, hosts Malaysia have been placed in a relatively easy group for all three events in the Premier category, namely team, regu and doubles.
In the team event, which is the centrepiece, the national team were drawn in Group C with Japan and Brunei, with Malaysia only needing to emerge as group runners-up to advance to the quarter-finals.
Group A will have Indonesia, Vietnam and Singapore while Malaysia’s arch-rivals Thailand have been placed in Group B with India and China.
Group D, meanwhile, will see Myanmar taking on the Philippines and South Korea.
In the regu category, Malaysia again got an easy passage after being drawn with China and Brunei in Group B while in the doubles event, the national squad were drawn with Japan and Brunei in Group A.
Sepaktakraw Association of Malaysia (PSM) president Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan, however, warned his players not to take things for granted despite the so-called easy draw as the other teams could spring a major surprise.
“I feel that our team can get past many stages. We will use the opportunity to play on home ground to achieve success,” he said.
A total of 21 countries will slug it out in the world meet, with 12 countries, including Malaysia, competing in the Premier category and nine countries, including Iran, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, competing in the Division One category.
THE DRAW
Premier Team
Group A: Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore
Group B: India, Thailand, China
Group C: Brunei, Japan, Malaysia
Group D:Myanmar, Philippines, South Korea
Premier Regu
Group A:Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia
Group B: Malaysia, China, Brunei
Group C: South Korea, Philippines, Singapore
Group D: India, Japan, Myanmar
Premier Doubles
Group A: Japan, Brunei, Malaysia
Group B: China, Vietnam, India
Group C: Myanmar, Philippines, Indonesia
Group D: Thailand, Singapore, South Korea
Division 1 Regu
Group A: Germany, France, Nepal, Iran
Group B: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia
Division 1 Doubles
Group A: Bangladesh, Nepal, Taiwan, Sri Lanka
Group B: Saudi Arabia, France, Iran, Germany, Pakistan
– BERNAMA
