The Malaysian men’s national hockey team, the Speedy Tigers, got their 2026 FIH World Cup qualifying campaign off to a perfect start with a dominant 6-1 victory over Austria in Ismailia, Egypt. Despite an early scare where Austria took the lead via a penalty stroke in the 3rd minute, Malaysia responded with class. Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal was the star of the show, netting two goals, while Shello Silverius, Norsyafiq Sumantri, Akhimullah Anuar Esook, and Marhan Jalil each added to the tally to complete the rout.

This victory places Malaysia at the top of Group B, providing a massive boost to their hopes of securing a spot in the 2026 World Cup. Head coach Sarjit Singh praised the team's resilience for staying calm after conceding early and sticking to their tactical plan. The Speedy Tigers' clinical finishing in the second half proved too much for the Austrian defense, and they will now look to carry this momentum into their next crucial group stage matches later this week.