Asia Cup hockey: Chinese Taipei, Bangladesh arrive to complete eight-team lineup

Rajgir (Bihar), Aug 27 (PTI) The Chinese Taipei and Bangladesh men's hockey teams landed here on Wednesday, completing the eight-team lineup for the upcoming Hero Asia Cup with the players exuding confidence of competitive performances in the continental showpiece event.

The event is set to commence on Friday with three-time winners India and defending champions South Korea likely favourites to lift the title. Pakistan and Oman have pulled out of the tournament and have been replaced by Bangladesh and Kazakhstan.

Chinese Taipei, ranked 38th in the world, will be playing in the tournament only for the second time after making their debut in 2013.

Chinese Taipei have been drawn in Pool B alongside Korea, Bangladesh, and Malaysia. They will open their campaign against Korea on Friday, followed by matches against Bangladesh on Saturday and Malaysia on September 1.

"Playing in India, where hockey is followed so passionately, is a wonderful experience for all of us. Our focus will be to enjoy every match we play in this prestigious tournament while giving our absolute best on the field," said Chinese Taipei captain Chun-Yu Chang.

During the 2013 Asia Cup, Chinese Taipei had lost all their three pool matches to finish last in the group.

"It is a matter of great pride to represent our country, especially as this is only our second appearance in the history of the Asia Cup. We want to make the most of this opportunity, learn from the challenges, and showcase the fighting spirit of our team," he added.

Bangladesh, ranked 29th in the world, are are among the most regular sides in the competition's history, having featured in every edition of the Asia Cup since its inception in 1982.

This time around, Bangladesh have replaced Pakistan and will set their campaign in motion with the Pool B match against Malaysia on Friday. PTI AM AM DDV