Malaysia’s men’s badminton team suffered a dramatic reversal as they let a 2-0 lead slip, losing 3-2 to Indonesia in Group D at the Badminton Asia Team Championships in Qingdao. What began as a commanding position quickly turned into a bitter defeat.
The Malaysian team started strongly, with world No. 39 Justin Hoh defeating Thailand Masters champion Mohd Zaki Ubaidillah 21-16, 21-19 in the opening singles. The victory, which avenged previous losses to Zaki, gave the team an early boost of confidence. Experienced doubles pair Wan Arif Junaidi and Yap Roy King then extended the lead to 2-0, overcoming Indonesia’s Leo Rolly Carnando and Bagas Maulana 21-13, 12-21, 21-13. At that point, a win over Indonesia appeared within reach.
Indonesia, however, fought back. In the second singles, Malaysia’s Eogene Ewe fell 12-21, 21-14, 21-15 to Prahdiska Bagas Shujiwo, narrowing the lead to 2-1. The second doubles produced another swing in momentum as Indonesia’s Raymond Indra and Nikolaus Joaquin narrowly defeated Choong Hon Jian and Haikal Nazri 21-16, 11-21, 21-19 to level the tie.
The deciding match pitted 17-year-old Kong Wei Xiang against former Olympic bronze medallist Anthony Ginting. Wei Xiang took the first game 21-17 and displayed remarkable composure, but Ginting’s experience ultimately prevailed as he won 21-13, 21-16, completing Indonesia’s stunning comeback.
Despite the loss, both Malaysia and Indonesia had already secured quarter-final berths. Malaysia will now face Group C champions Japan, a rematch of the 2024 semi-final, while the women’s team will take on South Korea, led by world No. 1 An Se-young. The young Malaysian squads will need to regroup quickly as they prepare for the challenging knockout stage ahead.
