KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 — The national men’s and women’s indoor hockey squads will be playing a series of friendly matches during their playing tour of Australia from April 9 to 19, as part of both team’s final phase of preparations before competing in the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games, next month.

The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) in a statement said the men’s team comprising 15 players (three goalkeepers, four defenders, three midfielders and five strikers) and the women’s squad comprising 14 players (three goalkeepers, three defenders, three midfielders and five strikers) will be in Australia for the tour.

National men’s indoor hockey head coach Mohd Hanip Che Halim said the series of friendly matches will be used to test team strategies, technical aspects and formations as part of the team’s final preparations before facing the challenges in store during the Cambodia SEA Games.

"I want the players to adopt every strategy that has been practiced in Kuala Lumpur when playing six matches in Perth. I will use the performance of the players in the friendly matches to evaluate the team and the players before going to Cambodia.

National women’s indoor hockey head coach Mohd Badrul Hisham Osman said he would also be using the series of friendly matches to assess the players performances before picking the final squad of 12 players who will carry the country’s hopes in international competitions.

The 2023 Cambodia SEA Games will be held in Phnom Penh from May 5 to 17, while indoor hockey competitions are scheduled from May 1 to 8, at the Dinosaur Park Hall, Chroy Changvar. — Bernama