MALAYSIA
World ranking: 13
Best Olympic outing: 8th (1972)
Best World Cup outing: 4th place (1975)
Coach: Sarjit Singh
Squad: Hafizuddin Othman, Che Sharul Azmi Che Saupi, Marhan Jalil, Syed Syafiq Syed Cholan, Amirul Hamizan Azhar, Shafiq Hassan, Najib Abu Hassan, Syarman Mat Tee, Fitri Saari, Nik Aiman Nik Rozemi, Shello Silverius, Norsyafiq Sumantri, Alfarico Lance Liau Jr, Faizal Saari, Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal, Muhajir Abdu Rauf, Akhimullah Anuar Esook, Azimuddin Syakir Kamaruddin
Former international Sarjit Singh is back to coach the Speedy Tigers for the second time, and the Sultan Azlan Shah (SAS) Cup will be his first assignment.
Malaysia won the SAS Cup for the first time in 2022 after 39 years, and fans will expect the team to defend the title.
CANADA
World ranking: 19
Best Olympic outing: 10th (1976, 1984, 2000, 2008)
Best World Cup outing: 7th (1998)
Coach: Patrick Tshutshani
Squad: Avjot Buttar, Balraj Panesar, Devon Noronha Teixeira, Flynn McCuloch, Gavin Bains, Gurpreet Singh, Harbir Sidhu, Jude Nicholson, Jyoth Sidhu, Kiefer McNaughton, Manveer Jhamat, Matt Sarmento, Roop Dhillon, Rowan Childs, Sam Cabral, Sean Davis, Thomson Harris, Zach Coombs
The lowest world-ranked team in the SAS Cup, Canada are making their return to Ipoh after a five-year absence. Their last appearance in the 2019 edition saw them finish fourth.
Canada coach Patrick Tshutshani, who is rebuilding the team following several key players' retirement, will field a blend of veterans and new blood.
JAPAN
World ranking: 16
Best Olympic outing: Silver (1932)
Best World Cup outing: 9th (1971 and 2006)
Coach: Yoshihiro Anai
Squad: Takashi Yoshikawa, Takumi Kitagawa, Manabu Yamashita, Shota Yamada, Raiki Fujishima, Ken Nagayoshi, Yusuke Kawamura, Yamato Kawahara, Seren Tanaka, Yuma Nagai, Taiki Takade, Hiro Saito, Yuto Higuchi, Kosei Kawabe, Kazumasa Matsumoto, Ryoma Ooka, Naru Kimura, Tsubasa Tanaka
Former international Yoshihiro Anai took the reins as the head coach of the Samurais in March. He was a member of the coaching staff when Japan won the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games gold medal.
Anai's main task is to guide the team in Olympic qualification for 2028 Los Angeles, and the SAS Cup is his first assignment.
NEW ZEALAND
World ranking: 10
Best Olympic outing: Champion (1976)
Best World Cup outing: 7th (1973, 1975, 1982, 2014 and 2023)
Coach: Greg Nicol
Squad: Dominic Dixon, Scott Boyde, David Brydon, Dane Lett, Jake Smith, George Enersen, Brad Read, Joseph Morrison, Blair Tarrant, Scott Cosslett, Luke Holmes, Hayden Philips, George Baker, Jonty Elmes, Malachi Buschl, Patrick Ward, Isaac Houlbrooke, Benjamin Culhane.
The Black Sticks, coached by Greg Nicol, will miss several regulars due to club commitments in Europe but New Zealand are still the favourites as the highest-ranked team in the SAS Cup.
The Ipoh tournament will also be the stage for the newcomers in the Kiwi squad to vie for places in the Paris Olympics.
PAKISTAN
World ranking: 15
Best Olympic outing: Champions (1960, 1968 and 1984)
Best World Cup outing: Champions (1971, 1978, 1982 and 1994)
Coach: Roelant Oltmans
Squad: Ammad Shakeel Butt, Abu Bakar, Abdullah, Muneeb-ur-Rehman, Usman Bashir, Athisham, Mohammad Abdullah, Sufiyan, Abu Bakar, Salman Razzaq, Arshad Liaqat, Moin Shakeel, Zakriya Hayat, Murtaza Yaqoob, Ghazanfar Ali, Abdul Rehman, Hanan, Rana Waheed, and Ejaz Ahmed
Earlier there was internal turmoil in the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) due to two rival factions, and Pakistan were in danger of being discarded from the SAS Cup by the International Hockey Federation.
However, the PHF factions managed to sort out their differences and announced that Dutchman Roelant Oltmans will lead the team for the SAS Cup.
SOUTH KOREA
World ranking: 11
Best Olympic outing: 2nd (2000)
Best World Cup outing: 4th (2002 and 2006)
Coach: Min Tae Seok
Squad: Kim Jae Hyeon, Lim Do Hyun, Lee Sung Min, Cho Ghu Hyeong, Kong Yoon Ho, Jung Hyun Ho, Seo In Woo, Sim Jae Won, Oh Se Yong, Kim Sung Hyun, Baek Sung Hyun, Oh Dae Won, Son Da In, Kim Hyeong Jin, Bae Soung Min, Park Jun Seok, Jin Geon Hyo, Cheon Min Su.
Three-time winners South Korea will be without veteran hotshot Jang Jong Hyun, but they aim to win their fourth SAS Cup title.
However, the Koreans seem to be more focused on developing their team as coach Min Tae Seok has brought here 13 players who do not even have a single international cap.
FIXTURES
Today — New Zealand v Canada (4pm); South Korea v Japan (6.15pm); Malaysia v Pakistan (8.30pm)
Tomorrow — New Zealand v Japan (4pm); South Korea v Pakistan (6.15pm); Canada v Malaysia (8.30pm)
May 7 — Canada v South Korea (4pm); Pakistan v Japan (6.15pm); Malaysia v New Zealand (8.30pm)
May 8 — Pakistan v Canada (4pm); South Korea v New Zealand (6.15pm); Japan v Malaysia (8.30pm)
May 10 — New Zealand v Pakistan (4pm); Japan v Canada (6.15pm); Malaysia v South Korea (8.30pm)
May 11 — Fifth and sixth placing (4pm); Third and fourth placing (6.15pm); Final
(8.30pm)
* All matches at Azlan Shah Stadium, Ipoh
