The Bangladesh national hockey team had their first training session this morning in Jakarta ahead of the Men’s AHF Cup scheduled to be held in Indonesia from March 11 to 20.
All the members of national hockey team are well and fit, according to a message received here today (Wednesday) from Bangladesh Hockey Federation.
The team is also scheduled to hold their second training session in this evening.
Earlier on Tuesday last night, the national hockey team reached Jakarta safely to participate in the tournament. All the players’ Covid-19 test report in Jakarta came out negative.
Meanwhile, the Asian Hockey Federation has changed the fixture of the AHF Cup Hockey as China has withdrawn their name in the last moment from the tournament.
Bangladesh is the champion of the last three editions of this tournament.
Bangladesh will take part in the tournament under Malaysian coach Iman Gobinathan Krishnamurthy. This time Bangladesh will also compete the tournament as the favorite.
Bangladesh will take on hosts Indonesia on March 11 to start their campaign in one of the four matches on the opening day. The tournament is also the qualifying event for the next edition of the Asia Cup.
Bangladesh are placed in the Pool B and will play their second match against Singapore on March 14 before facing Iran and Oman on March 15 and 17 respectively.
As China has withdrawn their name from the tournament, so Pool A is now reduced to four teams. The teams are Thailand, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
After facing each other once, the top two teams from each pool will play in the semi-finals on March 19 before the final on March 20.
Bangladesh squad:
Goalkeepers: Biplob Kujur and Abu Sayeed Nippon
Defenders: Rezaul Karim Babu, Farhd Ahmed Shitul, Khorshedur Rahman, Ashraful Islam, Mehedi Hasan and Sohanur Rahman Sabuz
Midfielders: Sarwar Hossain, Fazle Hossain Rabbi, Naim Uddin, Prince Lal Samanta and Roman Sarkar
Forwards: Rasel Mahmud Jimmy, Milon Hossain, Pushkor Khisha Mimo, Arshad Hossain, Deen Islam Emon, Rakibul Hasan Roki(Jr) and Mahabub Hossain
