KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's squash players are set to qualify for all five finals in the Hangzhou Asian Games from Sept 23-Oct 8 following the draw today.
The Asian Squash Federation did the draw in Hong Kong for the men's and women's individual, team and mixed doubles.
Malaysia team manager Nafzahizam Adnan said: "It's a good draw and our players have a bright chance to qualify for the finals in all five events."
He said, however, Malaysia's target remains as two gold medals in Hangzhou. "Anything more than two gold will be a bonus."
The Malaysia men's team will comprise Asian champion Ng Eian Yow, Addeen Idrakie, Ivan Yuen and Syafiq Kamal. The women's team consisted of Asian No. 2 S. Sivasangari, Rachel Arnold and the Azman sisters, Aifa and Aira.
Nafzahizam expects the India men's team, led by world No. 20 Saurav Ghosal, to give Malaysia a strong challenge.
He added that Hong Kong, spearheaded by Asian champion Chan Sin Yuk, will be a big threat to Malaysia in the women's team event.
Nafzahizam said top seed and world No. 19 Eain Yow is expected to face a strong challenge from Qatar's third seed Abdulla Al Tamimi in the semi-finals.
"Eain Yow is likely to meet second seed Saurav in the final. Saurav had beaten Eain Yow in the Paris Open last month."
The other Malaysian in the men's individual event is Addeen, who is seeded joint ninth.
"In the women's individual, Sivasangari looks set to reach the final. The only hurdle in her half of the draw is Japan's top seed Satomi Watanabe whom she beat in the Asian Championships in Hong Kong in June.
"Barring any upset, Sivasangari is likely to face Hong Kong's second seed Ho Tze Lok or third seed Chan Sin Yuk in the final."
Aira, who won silver in the World Junior Championships in Melbourne in July, is seeded joint fifth in the women's individual event.
Nafzahizam said Malaysia has a good chance to win two medals in the mixed doubles through second seeds Syafiq-Aifa and third seeds Ivan-Rachel.
Men:
Group A: India, Pakistan, Kuwait, Qatar, Singapore, Nepal.
Group B: Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Thailand.
Women:
Group A: Hong Kong, Japan, S. Korea, Thailand, Mongolia
Group B: Malaysia, India, Macau, Pakistan, Nepal.