Asia Cup hockey: Chinese Taipei, Bangladesh arrive to complete eight-team lineup

NEW DELHI: The men’s hockey teams of Chinese Taipei and Bangladesh arrived on Wednesday, completing the eight-team field for the upcoming Hero Asia Cup. Both sides exuded confidence and expressed their determination to deliver competitive performances in the prestigious continental tournament.The Asia Cup begins on Friday, with three-time champions India and defending winners South Korea entering as early favourites. The tournament has already seen notable changes, as Pakistan and Oman withdrew, making way for Bangladesh and Kazakhstan to join the competition.

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World No. 38 Chinese Taipei will be featuring in the event for only the second time, their previous appearance coming in 2013. They have been placed in Pool B along with South Korea, Bangladesh, and Malaysia.

Their campaign opens against Korea on Friday, followed by fixtures against Bangladesh on Saturday and Malaysia on September 1.“Playing in India, where hockey enjoys such passionate following, is a wonderful experience for us. Our goal is to enjoy every game while giving our absolute best on the field,” said Chinese Taipei skipper Chun-Yu Chang. Reflecting on their past experience, he added, “It is a matter of great pride to represent our country, especially as this is only our second Asia Cup appearance.

We want to make the most of this opportunity, learn from the challenges, and showcase our fighting spirit.

”In their debut edition in 2013, Chinese Taipei had struggled, losing all three group matches to finish bottom of the pool. This time, they are hoping to improve their performance and leave a stronger mark on the tournament.Meanwhile, Bangladesh, ranked 29th in the world, boast a much deeper history in the Asia Cup.

They are one of the most consistent teams in the competition, having played in every edition since the tournament’s inception in 1982. With Pakistan pulling out, Bangladesh secured a late entry and are now keen to make an impact.Their campaign begins with a Pool B clash against Malaysia on Friday. For Bangladesh, the opportunity not only serves as a chance to continue their tradition of appearances but also to test themselves against stronger Asian rivals and possibly spring a surprise in the group stages.