Track cyclist Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang will be one of Malaysia's big gold-medal hopes in Hangzhou ©Getty Images

Malaysia has been set the task of winning 27 medals at the Asian Games as it sends a team of nearly 300 athletes to Hangzhou.

A total of seven golds, 13 silvers and 16 bronzes were won by Malaysia in a 36-medal haul at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang.

Malaysia will be hoping to better that performance, but the country’s Sports Ministry has set the target at 27 medals and put no number on the amount of golds it expects the team to win.

Jefri Ngadirin, director of the athlete division at the National Sports Council of Malaysia, claimed that 12 medals had been "lost" after bowling and pencak silat did not make the programme for Hangzhou 2022.

"We received feedback from the athletes after the previous SEA [South East Asian] Games that they felt pressured when targets were set," said Ngadirin in a report by the Malay Mail.

"Internally, surely every sport and athlete has a target.

"For example, [track cyclist] Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang wants two gold medals but we will not announce them to avoid putting pressure on them.

"We have 14 athletes who are in the top-five rankings in Asia, they can get on the podium at any time."

Malaysia picked up 36 medals at Jakarta Palembang 2018 but has set a target of 27 for Hangzhou 2022 ©Getty Images
Malaysia picked up 36 medals at Jakarta Palembang 2018 but has set a target of 27 for Hangzhou 2022 ©Getty Images

Azizulhasni is a two-time Olympic medallist and double Asian Games champion, winning keirin gold at Guangzhou 2010 followed by the sprint crown at Jakarta Palembang 2018.

The 35-year-old is back in action after recovering from open heart surgery for a rare condition known as anomalous aortic origin of the right coronary artery.

He is among 289 athletes that have been chosen to represent Malaysia in 22 sports at Hangzhou 2022.

Malaysia will be aiming for success in squash having been crowned men’s team champions at Jakarta Palembang 2018.

Ng Eain Yow will also be among the favourites for the men’s singles title after retaining his Asian Individual Championship crown in June, while Sivasangari Subramaniam is expected to challenge for women’s singles gold.

Malaysia has named a strong badminton team featuring Lee Zii Jia, Ng Tze Yong, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Pearly Tan.

Other sports where Malaysia is expecting to enjoy success include hockey, athletics and diving.

Malaysia has not won an athletics medal since Doha 2006 but has high hopes for 400 metres runner Shereen Samson Vallabuoy, sprinter Azeem Fahmi and discus thrower Irfan Shamsuddin.