Asian Games Qualifiers: Hockey team beat Indonesia 3-1

Bangladesh‍‍`s national hockey team made a good start to the nine-nation Men‍‍`s Asian Games Qualifiers, defeating Indonesia 3-1 in Saturday‍‍`s match in Thai capital Bangkok.

In March last too, Bangladesh outplayed hosts Indonesia 7-2 in the AHF Cup Hockey Tournament.

Bangladesh, which was placed in four-team Pool B of the Men‍‍`s Asian Games Qualifiers with Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Singapore, will face Sri Lanka on May 10 and Singapore on May 12 in the remaining group matches.

In the day‍‍`s first match in Bangkok, Sarwar Hossain put Bangladesh ahead by a field goal in the 10th minute of the match (1-0).

Forward Pushkar Khisha Mimo doubled the Bangladesh margin in the eighth minute of the 2nd quarter also by a field goal (2-0).

Indonesia reduced the margin in the ninth minute of the 3rd quarter (2-1). 

Finally, midfielder Fazle Hossain Rabbi sealed the fate of the match scoring one more field goal in the 10th minute of the quarter (3-1).

Bangladesh captain Rezaul Karim Babu displayed his brilliance in the field and was adjudged man of the match.

The Men‍‍`s Asian Games Hockey Qualifier  began in Bangkok on Friday (May 6), despite the Asian Games Authority on the same day deferring the Hangzhou Asian Games indefinitely amid a recent surge in Covid-19 cases in China, the host country.

The Hangzhou Asian Games was scheduled for September 10-25 this year in China.

On completion of the Asian Games Hockey Qualifiers, the Bangladesh team, led by new captain Khorshedur Rahman, will travel to Indonesia to compete in the Men‍‍`s Asia Cup Hockey in Jakarta from May 23 to June 1.

In the eight-nation Hero Men‍‍`s Asia Cup Hockey, Bangladesh has also been placed in Pool B with Malaysia, Korea and Oman.

Bangladesh will face Korea on May 23, Oman on May 24 and Malaysia on May 26.

Bangladesh squad: 

Goalkeepers: Biplob Kujur, Abu Sayeed Nippon

Defenders: Khorshedur Rahman, Farhd Ahmed Shitul, Ashraful Islam, Mehedi Hasan, Rezaul Karim Babu, Shohanur Rahman Sabuj.

Midfielders: Sarwar Hossain, Roman Sarkar, Naim Uddin, Fazle Hossain Rabbi, Prince Lal Samanta.

Forwards: Rasel Mahmud Jimmy, Milon Hossain, Pushkor Khisha Mimo, Arshad Hossain, Rakibul Hasan Rocky (Jr).