Maybank players to compete in the Hockey World Cup for the third year

Five Maybank players have made it to the Malaysia Hockey team and are set to compete in the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 to be held in Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar and Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, India. The competition will take place from 13 to 29 January 2023.

The team comprises of 20 players which will also feature Maybank players, headlined by Meor Mohd Azuan Hassan (Midfielder), Mohd Razie Rahim (Defender & Flicker), Muhammad Najmi Farizal Jazlan (Defender & Flicker), Mohamad Ashran Hamsani (Midfielder) and Shahmie Irfan Suhaimi (Forward). Initially, a total of nine Maybank players were selected via the national centralised training and the final selection was concluded by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation which began in mid-2022.

Maybank players have represented the Malaysian national hockey team in 2014, 2018 and 2023. They were represented by Hafifihafiz Hanafi (Forward) and Mohd Razie Rahim (Defender & Flicker) in 2014 followed by Meor Mohd Azuan Hassan (Midfielder) and Mohd Razie Rahim in 2018.

Maybank has also been actively participating in the national and international hockey circuit since 1986. The Bank has won four coveted trophies - Malaysia Hockey League in 1990, 1994 and 1995 and the Asian Champion Club in 1991.

The FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 will feature 16 national teams vying for the coveted trophy. Since the inception of the tournament in 1971, the trophy has been won by countries such as Pakistan (1971, 1978, 1982, 1994), Netherlands, (1973,1990, 1998), Australia (1986, 2010, 2014) and Germany (2002, 2006). India and Belgium won their lone titles in 1975 and 2018 respectively.

For information on match schedule for the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023, visit https://www.fih.hockey/events/world-cup/men/fih-odisha-hockey-mens-world-cup-2023-bhubaneswar-rourkela-1389/schedule-fixtures-results