SPORTS REPORTER

Despite not qualifying through the AHF Cup in April, the Bangladesh national hockey team are likely to get an opportunity to participate in the upcoming Asia Cup, replacing Pakistan, who may withdraw due to security concerns.

The eight-team Asia Cup is scheduled to take place from August 29 to September 7 in Bihar, India. The tournament was originally supposed to feature the top two finishers from April’s AHF Cup -- Oman and Chinese Taipei -- alongside six automatic qualifiers: India, Pakistan, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and China.

However, recent international media reports suggested that Pakistan government unwilling to send teams to India in either of the tournaments to be held this year in that country – the Asia Cup and the FIH Junior World Cup.

Bangladesh finished third in the AHF Cup after losing to Oman in the semifinals, marking the first time in 43 years that the four-time champions failed to secure an Asia Cup berth.

“The Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) sent us a letter on Wednesday, saying that Bangladesh might have an opportunity to participate in the Asia Cup. It also asked whether we want to participate,” Bangladesh Hockey Federation’s general secretary Lt Col (retd) Riazul Hasan told The Daily Star yesterday. “We replied that we want to play if AHF permits us. We have also requested the AHF to confirm its decision soon so that we can start our preparation. We hope to receive a reply by Monday,” added Hasan.

Meanwhile, a 12-day fitness and conditioning camp for national players concluded on Friday, with around 30 of the 38 invited players participating. The camp was conducted by former national defender and BKSP coach Moshiur Rahman Biplob at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium.

Coach Biplob informed that 38 players including all 35 who were in the camp for the AHF Cup were called for the fitness drills, but only 30 players turned up. Eight of the players skipped, owing to either exams or sickness or due to their training in services teams.

“After the AHF Cup in April, the players except the ones from the service teams have not been in action, so the fitness and conditioning training was arranged to bring them into shape,” Biplob said. “We went through two endurance tests and there have been some improvement in fitness, but we need to work more on that aspect,” opined Biplob, who also conducted a match among the players on the last day of the camp in presence of selectors.