# Chong Wei leads the team to Asian meet
# World 99 Iskandar makes the Thomas Cup team
Hours after being named to the team for the Badminton Asia Men’s and Women’s Team Championships next month, Lee Zii Jia was on the losing end in his men’s singles match in a Purple League match against privateer Zulfadli Zulkifli who was snubbed for the Asian meet.
Zulfadli, ranked 44 beat 42nd ranked Zii Jia 11-7, 11-4, 7-11, 11-6 win to lead his team Ampang Jaya to a massive 15-1 win over Serdang BC at the Sports Arena Sentosa in Jalan Kelang Lama on Thursday.
Putting that aside Zii Jia, however, is the men’s team to the Asian meet which is led by world No 2 Lee Chong Wei. The others in the team are Soong Joo Ven (66) and Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin who is ranked a distant 99.
In the men’s doubles former world number one and Rio Olympics silver medallists Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong who have been brought back together for Malaysia’s challenge in Alor Setar where the top four teams (semi-finals) will make the Thomas Cup Finals on merit. The Thomas Cup Finals will be held in Bangkok from May 20-27 at Impact Arena.
Also making the doubles team is the country’s number two pair Teo Ee Yi-Ong Yew Sin and rising pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani.
World ranked 29 Soniia Cheah, as expected made the women’s team together with former World Junior champion Goh Jin Fei. The other two in the singles are Lim Yin Fun and S. Kisona, ranked number 88 and 97 respectively.
Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei lead the women’s doubles. The other pairs are Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean and Goh Yea Ching-Yap Cheng Wen.
“Some may question our selection…but look at what happened in 2014 when we went with a new look team and went all the way to reach the final,” said Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president after chairing a Coaching and Training Committee meeting at Academy Badminton Malaysia on Thursday.
The Badminton Asia Team Championships will be held at the Sultan Abdul Halim Stadium in Alor Setar from Feb 6-11.BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
The Teams
MEN
Singles
Lee Chong Wei
Lee Zii Jia
Soong Joo Ven
Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin
Doubles
Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong
Teo Ee Yi-Ong Yew Sin
Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani
WOMEN
Singles
Soniia Cheah
Goh Jin Wei
Lim Yin Fun
S. Kisona
Doubles
Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei
Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean
Goh Yea Ching-Yap Cheng Wen
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