Junior Asia Cup Hockey:Youth hockey team in Kolkata on way to Hyderabad

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh youth hockey team reached Kolkata Monday evening en route to Hyderabad to take part in the 6th Men’s Junior (under-21) Asia Cup Hockey with their eyes on the 5th place.

The eight-team Asian Junior Hockey tournament will be held in the Indian city of Hyderabad on July 11-18.

Abahani forward Russell Mahmud Jimmy has been made the captain while Moshiur Rahman Biplob of Sonali Bank named vice-captain for the India-bound Bangladesh Under-21 team at the last moment on Sunday night.

Bangladesh youth team made a courtesy call on Hockey Federation President and Chief of Bangladesh Air Force Air Marshall SM Ziaur Rahman at the Hockey Federation office Sunday night.

The Bangladesh team, placed 6th in the last Junior Asia Cup in Pakistan in 2004, had only five days’ preparations at the BKSP under local coach M Nurul Islam ahead of the India tour.

“We hope to perform better this time… our target is to win the 5th place in the eight-team meet,” Hockey Federation General Secretary Sajed AA Adel told UNB Monday evening.

“We got visa from the Indian High Commission on Sunday evening and the team left for Kolkata Monday morning by road. The team leaves for Hyderabad by train later in the night,” he said.

Eight teams, split into two groups, will take part in the eight-day Asian Junior meet.

Group A comprise hosts India, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore, while the Group B consists of Pakistan, Oman, South Korea and Bangladesh.

Bangladesh will play their first match against giant South Korea on July 11, the 2nd against Oman on July 13 and the 3rd against strong Pakistan on July 14.

The Bangladesh team has 16 players and five officials.

Team: Players – Mehrab Hossain Kiran, Manwar Hossain, Shamsul Alam Sujon, Moshiur Rahman, Irfanul Haque, Rimon Kumar Ghosh, Abdus Sajjad John, Moshiur Rahman Biplob, Labu Nahid, Asaduzzaman Chandan, Sheikh Mohammad Nannu, Hasan Jubair, Iqbal Nadir, Krisna Kumar, Russell Mahmud Jimmy and Tapash Barman.

Officials: Manager – Kazi Mainuzzaman Pila, Assistant Manager – Yousuf Ali, Coach – Mohammad Nurul Islam, Judge – Ehtesham Sultan and Umpire – Mahbubul Haque Mitu