SUBANG JAYA, Aug 14 — The state contingent men’s kabaddi team got off to a winning start after defeating Kedah during the 2026 Malaysia Games (SUKMA) at Stadium MBSJ in Serdang Jaya this morning.
In their opening Group B match, Selangor overcame Kedah 41-18 in an energetic encounter.
Team coach R. Akilan said he was pleased with the victory over an opponent considered to be a tough challenge in their opening match.
“It was certainly a tough match for us. In the group stage, we also have Terengganu. Compared with Terengganu, Kedah put up a strong challenge, but we managed to defeat them,” he told Media Selangor.
Akilan emphasised that the next focus would be on addressing their weaknesses before facing Terengganu in their bid to win the group and secure a place in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, team captain N. Thennarasu said he was proud to lead the team to a comfortable victory over Kedah, although he acknowledged that both sides had been evenly matched early in the game.
“In the first half, the match was evenly balanced; we scored points, and they scored points too. However, in the second half, the team’s mentality became stronger, and we managed to score many points,” he said.
As such, Thennarasu is confident that they could secure victory in their second match against Terengganu.
“In the next match against Terengganu, I believe we can win and go on to become group champions,” he said.
Selangor will continue their Group B campaign against Terengganu tomorrow at the same venue.
