Amir & Fitri still in a daze

PROJECT 2013 players Fitri Saari, 18, and Amir Farid, 20, were shell shocked when they were named to make their senior debut in the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy in Ordos, China on Sept 3-11.
Both of them had only joined the senior side for a weeks training, and played a few minutes against Japan in the Five- Series friendlies but impressed coach Tai Beng Hai enough to seal their spots.
“I’m still in a daze as I did not expect to be selected for the Asian Champions Trophy after just one week with the seniors,” was the frank assessment from Fitri, whose brother Faizal Saari is also with the national seniors.
Amir was also equally shocked, in a pleasant way: “I too felt that I did not have any chance of playing in Ordos, but now that I have been selected, I will naturally give my best.”
Both the players, together with Faizal, will play in the Junior World Cup Qualifier in Malacca next May.
And when asked how they felt upstaging more experienced players to stake a claim in the senior squad, Amir said: “I am honoured to be selected over some seasoned players and I feel this chance to play with the best teams in Asia should give us an added advantage when we play in the Junior World Cup Qualifier.”
In Ordos, Malaysia are ranked second behind Asian Games champions Pakistan. However, the challenge to play in the final is expected to come from South Korea.
With former skipper Azlan Misron was left out due to injury, while forward Hafifi Hafiz requested not to be included because of personal reasons and Kelvinder Singh left behind to continue his fitness programme, it will be uphill all the way in Ordos.
The tournament does not offer any ranking points and this initiative by Asian Hockey Federation is some 20 years too late as Europe have progressed tremendously by playing regularly among themselves.
Malaysia are building a team for the Champions Challenge I in South Africa on Nov 26-Dec 4 which provided valuable ranking points. The national players need to finish top-five among eight teams to move up from their present 15th to 12th in the world.
For the Champions Challenge I, Malaysia are in Group B with Canada, Argentina and Japan. Group A comprises New Zealand, South Africa, Belgium and Poland.
ASIAN CHAMPIONS TROPHY: Sept 3: Pakistan v Malaysia; Sept 4: South Korea v Malaysia; Sept 6: China v Malaysia; Sept 7: Malaysia v India; Sept 9: Malaysia v Japan.