The 22-year-old former world junior champion recovered from falling behind to eventually seal a 17-21, 21-18, 24-22 success at the Spice Indoor Stadium in Penang.

Zulkiffli had earlier beaten China's Zhu Siyuan in the first round in a more comfortable affair, 24-22, 21-14.

He will be joined in the third round by his compatriot and double Olympic silver medallist Lee Chong Wei, with the world number five progressing through his pair of matches with relative ease.

In his opening contest he was too strong for Indonesia's Fikri Ihsandi Hadmadi, 21-14, 21-15, and he then disposed of Thailand's Kantawat Leelavechabutr 21-6, 21-15.

Lee, the top seed who is playing in his home state, will meet Singapore's double Commonwealth Games medallist Derek Wong Zi Liang in round three.

Number two seed Srikanth Kidambi is also safely through to round three, with the Indian starting by beating home favourite Chong Wei Feng 21-17, 21-11 in round one.

He then backed this up with a 21-16, 21-15 triumph over Jonatan Christie.

In the women's draw, South Korea's top seed Sung Ji-hyun booked her place in the second round with a routine 21-11, 21-17 win over Cheung Ngan Yi of Hong Kong.

She will now meet Indonesia's Hanna Ramadini, while Commonwealth Games silver medallist Kirsty Gilmour was among the other players to book her passage through.

The Scot, who won her silver at her home Glasgow 2014 Games, beat Malaysia's Lim Yin Fun in three games, 21-16, 18-21, 21-14.

The tournament, the first Grand Prix Gold event of the season, is due to finish on Sunday (January 24).