KUALA LUMPUR: Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Tan Sri Norza Zakaria believes that winning the Thomas Cup in Chengdu, China, from April 27-May 5 is not mission impossible.
He wants the team, powered by the likes of Lee Zii Jia, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, to create a legacy of their own by bringing home the coveted trophy for the first time since 1992.
Norza stressed the importance of Malaysia securing victories in major championships like the Thomas Cup to uphold its reputation as a badminton powerhouse.
For the record, Malaysia is the third most successful nation in the Thomas Cup, having secured five titles (1949, 1952, 1955, 1967 and 1992), trailing Indonesia (14) and China (10).
Amid Malaysia's 32-year Thomas Cup drought, several countries have made significant strides in the last decade. Japan, Denmark and India all secured their first titles in 2014, 2016, and 2022 respectively.
"Our pride as a strong badminton nation is at stake. We cannot dwell on past achievements alone," said Norza after the flag handing ceremony to the Malaysian teams to the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals.
"I hope this current batch of players will create a new history. (Winning the Thomas Cup) is not a mission impossible, it's not unattainable.
"Without achievements in the Olympics, World Championships and the Thomas Cup, we cannot rightfully claim our status as a badminton powerhouse."
Norza is confident that the current men's team squad are the strongest available and have the right "recipe" to contend for the trophy.
He believes that senior members such as Zii Jia, Aaron and Wooi Yik, who have played leading roles in recent editions, are capable of guiding the team to success.
Norza added that Leong Jun Hao, Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani are not fringe players and have the potential to defeat any opponents if they bring their best game to the court.
"I didn't have to tell this to top players like Aaron and Wooi Yik because they know exactly that they're simply capable.
"It's a matter of how much desire they have within them. How much these players want to become national legends and leave a legacy of their own when they retire later on.
"This makes up the 10 to 20 per cent that will make the difference. Aaron and Wooi Yik have proven themselves by becoming world champions, but I'm sure they will want to prove themselves further."
Malaysia are in Group D with Denmark, Hong Kong and Algeria.
