Malaysian pickleball player Jimmy Liong has been named captain of Malayan Stripes, the country's franchise in the inaugural Major League Pickleball Asia season. The announcement puts a familiar name from the local competitive scene at the head of Malaysia's first campaign in the region's newest team league.
Liong leads a six-player roster built through two draft phases. He was selected in the domestic draft alongside fellow Malaysians Syed Uzair and Athilla Miasara, before the team filled out its international slots with Eunggwon Kim, Xiao Yi Wang-Beckvall and Lacy Schneeman.
Malayan Stripes' 2026 roster:
Player | Draft |
Jimmy Liong (captain) | Domestic |
Syed Uzair | Domestic |
Athilla Miasara | Domestic |
Eunggwon Kim | International |
Xiao Yi Wang-Beckvall | International |
Lacy Schneeman | International |
According to Liong:
"We want to show Malaysian fans that we can do it and we can challenge other countries on the international stage. I hope Malaysian fans can back us and come support us."
He described the captaincy as "very happy and honoured," adding that he's looking forward to playing in front of home fans for the first time in a franchise format.
A New Format For The Region
MLP Asia brings together six city and country franchises, representing Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan and Vietnam. The format departs from the individual bracket play most Southeast Asian fans know from PPA Tour Asia and APP Asia Tour stops.
Instead, teams face off across four matches per tie: women's doubles, men's doubles, and two mixed doubles, with a singles tiebreaker called a DreamBreaker deciding any tie that finishes 2-2.
The season opens in Japan on 13 November 2026. Each franchise hosts one matchday during pool play, and Malayan Stripes will host theirs on 28 November, facing Hong Kong Cannons and Manila Helios in separate ties on home soil. The top four teams advance to the semi-finals on 11 December, with the champion crowned the following day.
Why It Matters For Malaysian Pickleball
A home team in a professional Asian league gives Malaysian fans something the sport hasn't had before: a squad to follow across a season rather than a single weekend event. It also puts three domestic players, Liong, Uzair and Miasara, on a roster alongside international talent, a format that could speed up how quickly the local game absorbs higher-level doubles strategy.
For a scene that has grown fast on courts across Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Bahru over the past two years, having a captain and a fixed home date on the calendar gives the community a clear reason to show up and watch, not just play.
If Liong's run with Malayan Stripes has you thinking about sharpening your doubles game, a good coach can cut through a lot of trial and error. Browse verified pickleball coaches across Malaysia at coach.thepicklebase.com, and follow @thepicklebase on Instagram for more MLP Asia updates as the season builds toward November.