KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Cricket Association (MCA) has launched a sweeping overhaul of its national coaching structure, underlining a bold shift towards long-term excellence through a six-year high-performance strategy anchored within a wider 10-year development plan.
The move is aimed at strengthening Malaysia’s standing across Asia and on the global cricket stage, building on recent gains at the Southeast Asian Games and steady progress within the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) pathways.
MCA president Mahinda Vallipuram said the restructuring signals a clear pivot towards greater integration, long-term planning and sustainable performance.
“As we look ahead to the next decade — encompassing the Asian Games, SEA Games, ICC cycles and even the Olympic Games — it is critical that we strengthen our foundations,” he said in a statement to Scoop.
“We are not reinventing the wheel. We are learning from leading cricket nations and evolving from within. Our objective is simple: to strengthen the association, consolidate our systems and move forward together.”
Mahinda stressed that stronger institutional backing would be key to ensuring the plan’s success, urging greater recognition of cricket’s growth potential within the national sporting ecosystem.
“It is imperative that key government agencies such as the Youth and Sports Ministry, the Sports Commissioner’s Office, the National Sports Council (NSC) and the National Sports Institute (NSI) recognise the efforts made by MCA and view cricket as a sport with strong strategic growth value.
“Progress requires a genuine partnership between these agencies and MCA, and we value the ministry’s guidance and continued support,” he added.
He also acknowledged ongoing collaboration with the Education Ministry, NSC and the Olympic Council of Malaysia, describing such partnerships as vital to sustaining long-term development.
The restructuring is part of a broader push to build a cohesive high-performance ecosystem, ensuring a clear pathway from grassroots to elite level while positioning Malaysia to compete more consistently on the regional and global stage. – April 20, 2026