"Attacking defensive": Ahmad Jais sets game plan as Malaysia chase takraw gold against Thailand

Malaysia's sepak takraw coach Ahmad Jais Baharun has called on his players to be braver when they take on defending champions Thailand in the men's team regu final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games today, Friday, 25 September.

Malaysia booked their place in the final by beating Indonesia 2-1 in Thursday's semi-final at the Paloma Mizuho Arena in Nagoya. Standing between them and a first Asian Games team regu gold since Beijing 1990 is the sport's biggest name, Thailand.

Not just defending

Speaking to Bernama after the semi-final, Ahmad Jais said his team would need to change their approach for the final.

"We need to play 'attacking defensive' because if we are too defensive, it gives the opposing team an advantage to defend and launch counter-attacks," he said.

The message is clear. Against a Thai side that punishes weak returns, Malaysia cannot sit back and simply wait for mistakes. They will need to keep the pressure on at the net while staying solid at the back.

Two teams, two missions

Ahmad Jais also summed up what is at stake for both sides.

"Thailand seek to retain their title, while we want to end our 36-year wait for gold. Whoever can perform better and make fewer mistakes will have a great chance," he said.

That last point may be the key. The semi-final against Indonesia showed how thin the margins are at this level. Malaysia's first regu won the opening set and still lost the match, while the third regu came from a set down to win the decisive match.

Recent meetings split

The coach warned his players not to read too much into recent results between the two nations. According to Bernama, Thailand beat Malaysia in the King's Cup final in Bangkok, but Malaysia turned the tables by beating Thailand in the World Cup final at Stadium Titiwangsa in May 2026.

That World Cup win on home soil should give the Malaysian players belief that the Thais can be beaten. But the Asian Games final is a different stage, and Thailand arrive in Nagoya as holders of the title after beating hosts Japan 2-0 in their semi-final.

Players to watch

Malaysia's second regu of Mohammad Syahir Mohd Rosdi, Mohamad Azlan Alias and Farhan Adam was the standout unit against Indonesia, winning 15-10, 15-6. The third regu of Muhammad Zarif Marican Ibrahim Marican, Amirul Zazwan Amir and Muhammad Hafizul Hayazi Adnan showed their nerve by winning the decider after dropping the first set.

The first regu, led by tekong Zulkifli Abd Razak with Muhammad Afifuddin Mohd Razali and Aidil Aiman Azwawi, will be looking to bounce back after losing a close three-setter to Indonesia.

A chance to boost the medal hunt

A gold today would be a major lift for the national contingent, who had three gold medals after five days of competition and are chasing a target of six. Sepak takraw was named among the sports expected to deliver in the second week of the Games.

Key takeaways

• Malaysia face defending champions Thailand in the men's team regu final today (25 September).
• Coach Ahmad Jais wants an "attacking defensive" style rather than a purely defensive approach.
• Thailand won the King's Cup final against Malaysia, but Malaysia beat Thailand in the May 2026 World Cup final in Kuala Lumpur.
• Victory would be Malaysia's first Asian Games team regu gold since 1990.

FAQ

What did Ahmad Jais say about the final? He said Malaysia must play "attacking defensive" because being too defensive gives the opponents chances to counter-attack, and that the team making fewer mistakes will have a great chance.

Have Malaysia beaten Thailand recently? Yes. According to Bernama, Malaysia beat Thailand in the World Cup final at Stadium Titiwangsa in May 2026, though Thailand won their King's Cup final meeting.

Where is the final being played? At the Paloma Mizuho Arena in Nagoya, Japan.

Sources: Bernama, Malay Mail