Pakistan reach Asian Games cricket final, set up India clash

In the Asian Games held in Aichi-Nagoya, Malaysia's 'Identity V' esports team secured a bronze medal after narrowly losing to Japan in the semi-finals. The match, which followed a best-of-three format in the Aichi Sky Expo, saw Malaysia trailing 3-5 to Japan's top team in the initial round. Following a draw in the second round, Malaysia ultimately lost the decider to Japan with a score of 8-1, securing a 2-0 victory.

While disappointed at not advancing to the final, Malaysian captain Gan Hoon Ming emphasized the match against Japan as a valuable experience for the team. "We actually had chances to beat them, but we did not perform very well," said Hoon Ming to Bernama. He acknowledged Japan's strength, stating, "Japan are a very strong outfit and they fielded their best players."

The team has previously faced Japan three times, with one win and two losses. Hoon Ming hoped the experience against the skilled Japanese players would help improve Malaysia's performance in future matches, emphasizing their desire to take this opportunity to learn and grow. Nevertheless, the team was content to have earned a bronze medal for Malaysia.

They expressed disappointment at not achieving a higher result but remained optimistic about future competitions. Gan Hoon Ming stated that the team's focus would now shift to winning gold at the upcoming 2027 SEA Games, which Malaysia will host.