Bangladesh football team practices for 3rd consecutive day in Saudi Arabia

Dhaka, 8 Mar   –Bangladesh National Football team, currently training in Taif, Saudi Arabia, for their AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers against India on March 25 in Shillong, held their third consecutive practice session on Saturday.

In a video interview on Saturday, Bangladesh team manager Ameer Khan said, “The scheduled preparatory match with Sudan today (Saturday) was canceled at the last moment this morning. The Sudanese coach mentioned that they will reschedule the match for a more suitable day.”

Bangladesh defender Rahmat Mia, who joined the team on Thursday after a visa issue prevented him from traveling with them on Wednesday, said, “We had a good training session today. All the players are in good physical condition, but the local weather is very cold and windy. We’re adjusting to the conditions, and it will benefit us since the weather and altitude in Shillong, the match venue, are similar.”

Earlier, Bangladesh football team reached the Saudi Arabian city of Taif Thursday early morning to undergo a 12-day an intensive training there for their AFC Asian Cup qualifiers match against India in Shillong on March 25 before they will return home on March 17.

Bangladesh-origin English Premier League footballer Hamza Dewan Chowdhury, who was included in the 30-member Bangladesh preliminary squad alongside Italian league player Fahamedul Islam, will arrive Bangladesh on Match 17.

Hamza will directly reach Sylhet from London by a Bangladesh Biman flight in the morning on March 17 and stayed one night at his home district Habiganj with his wife and children.

He will join the India-bound national team's camp in Dhaka on the next day (Mar 18) with the Bangladesh preliminary squad which returned from Saudi Arabia in the evening on March 17.

Another member of Bangladesh squad, the Italian league playing Fahamedul Islam is scheduled to join the national team's training camp in Saudi Arabia on March 10.

Selected players are:

Goalkeepers: Mitul Marma, Sujon Hossain, and Mehdi Hasan Srabon.

Defenders: Shakil Ahad, Shakil Hossain, Rahmat Mia, Isa Faisal, Mohammad Tajuddin, Tariq Raihan Kazi, Topu Barma, Saad Uddin, Sushanto Tripura, Mohammad Ridoy, Papon Singh, and Syed Shah Quazem Kirmanee.

Midfielders: Md Sohel Rana, Sohel Rana, Chandon Roy, Mojibar Rahman Jony, Shekh Morsalin, Jamal Bhuyan, Hamza Dewan Chowdhury, Foysal Ahmed Fahim.

Forwards: Rakib Hossain, Shahriar Emon, Mohammad Ibrahim, Arif Hossain, Al Amin, Piash Ahmad Nova, and Fahamedul Islam.