The Vantage Black Sticks males have accepted an invite to compete within the thirty first Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, held in Ipoh, Malaysia, from 23–30 November 2025.
The celebrated invitational match will see the New Zealand face off in opposition to among the world’s high hockey nations. Malaysia, Korea, Canada, India, and Belgium, in what guarantees to be an thrilling week of worldwide hockey.
With the Junior Hockey World Cups going down across the identical time, all U21 Black Sticks gamers are unavailable for choice. This opens the door for a number of returning gamers to grab an essential alternative forward of subsequent 12 months’s FIH Males’s World Cup within the Netherlands and Belgium.
Head Coach Greg Nicol says the match presents a precious probability to proceed constructing depth inside the squad and supply gamers with significant worldwide expertise.
“This can be a nice alternative for our group to check themselves in opposition to top-tier opposition and to maintain pushing our requirements. It’s additionally an thrilling probability for just a few returning gamers to indicate how they’ll contribute heading into a giant 2026 season.”
VANTAGE BLACK STICKS MEN – AZLAN SHAH CUP 2025AIDAN SARIKAYA, BENJI CULHANE, BRAD READ, CHARLIE MORRISON, DANE LETT, DYLAN THOMAS, FINN WARD, GEORGE BAKER, GEORGE ENERSEN, ISAAC HOULBROOKE, JOE MORRISON, KANE RUSSELL, LEON HAYWARD, MALACHI BUSCHL, SAM HIHA, SAM LANE, SEAN FINDLAY, SIMON YORSTON
TRAVELLING RESERVESJAMES HICKSON, NIC LIDSTONE
The squad incorporates a robust mixture of expertise and rising expertise, together with a particular return for goalkeeper George Enersen, who final represented the Black Sticks in 2023. Aidan Sarikaya, Kane Russell and Leon Hayward additionally return to the group after not enjoying since 2024. The touring reserves, James Hickson and Nic Lidstone, come into the squad for the primary time. An thrilling alternative for them to expertise life as a Black Stick.
MATCH SCHEDULE (NZT)Sunday 23 November – v Malaysia – 11:00 PM NZTMonday 24 November – v Korea – 9:00 PM NZTWednesday 26 November – v Canada – 9:00 PM NZTThursday 27 November – v India – 11:00 PM NZTSaturday 29 November – v Belgium – 11:00 PM NZT
