Dhaka: Bangladesh women's kabaddi team's coach Arduzzaman Munshi today expressed his optimism that his team would be able to win at least a medal in the 2nd Women's Kabaddi World Cup to be held at Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium at Mirpur from November 17-24. 'We have prepared with the hope that we'll at least win a medal. We are still optimistic that we can give the country a good gift by bringing home a medal,' said the Bangladesh coach.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Arduzzaman emphasized that playing on home soil offers the players extra enthusiasm and motivation. 'There has been no lack of effort in our training. We have been practicing consistently from the very beginning. We are now sufficiently prepared for the World Cup,' he added. Acknowledging India's prowess in kabaddi, he noted that while India remains a formidable opponent, Bangladesh has the ability to compete with every other team and is hopeful of securing a medal.
Bangladesh women's kabaddi team captain Ruplai Akter shared her sentiments, saying, 'I have actually been playing kabaddi since 2009. It feels really good to be captain in the World Cup as I had never captained before. I am going to end my playing career with the World Cup. So becoming captain in this tournament is something special to me.' The team has been rigorously preparing for the World Cup, despite it being postponed twice.
Rupali remarked on the competitive nature of the tournament, highlighting strong teams such as India, Iran, and Chinese Taipei, as well as Nepal and Thailand. The captain expressed her desire for the team to perform better in this World Cup, especially since Bangladesh finished fifth in the first edition.