KUALA LUMPUR: The national team will have to be firing on all cylinders if they are to have any hope of beating heavyweights Thailand in the Sepak Takraw World Cup team event final.
Malaysia and Thailand are on course to meet in the decider at the Titiwangsa Stadium tomorrow.
Sepak takraw observer Abdul Hafiz Ahmad believes Thailand will be out for blood after suffering two shocking defeats to Malaysia in the doubles and inter-regu finals on Wednesday.
"To win the team event title we need to have two strong regus and especially two strong tekongs," said Hafiz today.
"And with Haziq Hairul Nizam (tekong) we have that. We don't have to keep relying on Syahir Rosdi as we did in the past.
"But having said that, it will not be easy to beat Thailand. We will have to be playing at our best and cannot afford to make many mistakes.
"Thailand did not look like their usual selves in the doubles and inter-regu finals. They looked nervous, which rarely happens to them and we were able to capitalise on that.
"Losing two finals to us in one night (Wednesday) was a huge slap in the face for Thailand. This has never happened before in their history.
"Malaysia has never beaten Thailand in a final since the doubles category was introduced in 2004.
"And we have only beaten them twice in the inter-regu events in recent decades — during the 2005 Manila Sea Games and the 2015 Istaf Super Series leg in Melaka.
"I don't think they will 'give face' to us in the team event final. They will want to avenge their defeats, especially after the bad press they received back home.
"The team event is also the most coveted event in the World Cup."
Hafiz is a veteran sepak takraw journalist who has covered the sport for over three decades.
Malaysia has not won a team event title in any major competition since the 1991 Manila Sea Games when current national coach, Ahmad Jais Baharun, was in the squad as a player.
Many view the new 15-point, single-service attempt format — making its major competition debut here — to be a factor in Thailand's defeats. The sport had previously used a 21-point, three-service attempt format.
Both Malaysia and Thailand eased past their respective quarterfinal opponents earlier today.
Malaysia defeated India 2-0 while Thailand downed Japan by the same score line.
Malaysia will face Indonesia, who defeated Myanmar 2-0, in the semi-finals tonight while Thailand will face off against South Korea, who dispatched Vietnam 2-0 in the last-eight.
Malaysia had earlier this week topped group C, which also featured Japan and Brunei, while Thailand emerged group B (India, China) winners. Both countries scored maximum points.