KUALA LUMPUR: Three-time winners Malaysia made it to their fifth straight mixed team final at the Commonwealth Games after beating England 3-0 in Birmingham today.
World No 115 Chan Peng Soon-Cheah Yee See justified their inclusion by stunning world No 11 Marcus Ellis-Lauren Smith 12-21, 21-18, 21-13 to start the ball rolling for Malaysia.
Debutant Ng Tze Yong clinched his fifth win in as many matches when he defeated Toby Penty 21-13, 21-14 for Malaysia to race 2-0 ahead.
Tokyo Olympic bronze medallists Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik cruised past Ben Lane-Sean Vendy 21-17, 21-18 for their fourth win in a row against the world No 19 to confirm Malaysia's place in the final.
Malaysia will take on defending champions India or Singapore in the final on Tuesday.
Peng Soon-Yee See were relieved to have prevailed against Ellis-Smith, whom they beat in the Indonesia Open first round in June.
"It was a tough battle. Glad to have delivered the crucial first point for the team," said Peng Soon, who was part of Malaysia's winning teams at the 2010 New Delhi and 2014 Glasgow editions.
"The coach picked us over (world No 9 Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing) due to our recent win against the English pair.
"We lost the first game as their tactics were spot on. However, we changed our strategy and won the match.
"Hopefully, the team will succeed tomorrow in retaining the mixed team title."