SPORTS REPORTER

With gold and silver apparently out of their reach, Bangladesh women’s kabaddi team have set their sights on the bronze medal, subject to being placed in a favourable group in the seven-team Asian Women’s Kabaddi Championship, scheduled for March 4-9 in Iran.

Defending champions India, runners-up Iran, Thailand, Nepal, Iraq, Malaysia and Bangladesh are scheduled to vie for the trophy of the sixth edition. Bangladesh’s progress to the knockout rounds may depend on the grouping of the tournament, which has not been done yet.

If Bangladesh are placed in the same group with either India or Iran alongside fast-improving Nepal, then their hopes of winning a bronze medal or progressing to the semifinals may get a jolt.

Bangladesh’s only medal in the history of this championship was a bronze in the inaugural edition in 2005.

Nepal have now become the new rivals of SA Games’ two-time silver medallists Bangladesh, who lost to the Himalayan kingdom in the semifinals of the 2019 South Asian Games and in the group stages of the 2023 Asian Games.

“We can’t deny that Nepal are now our new rivals because we lost to them in the last two meetings, but we will try our best to win a bronze medal,” assistant coach Shahnaz Parvin Maleka told the Daily Star over phone.

When asked about the 37-24 points defeat against Nepal in the 2023 Asian Games, Maleka said: “To be honest, the players panicked under pressure of delivering good results despite having a good Indian coach.

“However, I am confident after more than six weeks of training. Even though the time is not enough to prepare a team for such an assignment, I’m sure they will perform better than last year. This is a team comprising experienced and young players who are motivated and committed to doing something good.”

Former men’s team captain Arduzzaman Munshi, who also worked as an assistant coach of the women’s team, echoed the same sentiment, saying: “I have heard that female players could not hold their nerve in international tournaments but this time if the players can show their natural performance, they will be able to win at least a bronze medal.”

The Bangladesh team, who are usually better in raids than in defence, will largely rely on players like Shraboni Mallick, Bristi Bishwas, Smrity Akter, Lucky Akter and Rupali to achieve their target.