KUALA LUMPUR: The national men's team hopes to be third-time lucky in winning the Asian Games hockey title and qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Ranked 14th in the world, Malaysia will face defending champions and world No. 8 India in the final on Saturday.
Malaysia last defeated India in the semi-finals of the Asian Games in Indonesia when coach Stephen van Huizen's side won 7-6 in a penalty shootout after both teams were tied 2-2.
On paper, India are overwhelming favourites to win their fifth Asian Games title and qualify for the Olympics.
Malaysia have qualified for the final twice before, in Guangzhou in 2010 and Indonesia in 2018, and on both occasions they lost to Pakistan and Japan respectively in the finals.
