COMMENT | I have followed this latest edition of the Thomas Cup closely and like most badminton fans, I was very disappointed when the Malaysian team bowed out at the quarter-final stage last Thursday.

The Malaysian team went to Bangkok, where the Cup finals are being held, full of confidence. Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) officials and coaches touted this Malaysian team as the strongest since 1992 (the last time we won the coveted trophy).

Suddenly, we all felt good enough to bring home the Thomas Cup. There was that anticipation and fans were all excited at the prospect.

For all the matches in the group stage, we performed very well. We even defeated Japan, a badminton powerhouse, to top the group.

The quarter-final against India was a total disaster. It soon became clear that our second and third singles were no match for the Indians. In the crucial deciding match, our third single was a washout. Our best was just not good enough.

Of all the comments to have emerged in the public sphere following Malaysia’s exit from the Thomas Cup, I can agree with...