Dhaka: Bangladesh U-21 hockey team is set to return home tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon following their participation in the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup currently held in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. A US Bangla flight is expected to bring the team back, landing at Shahjalal International Airport at 5 pm.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the team clinched the challenger trophy of the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup by defeating Austria 5-4 in a place-deciding match for the 17th and 18th positions. The victory was secured through a hat-trick by top-scorer Amirul Islam, with additional goals from Hozifa Hossain and Rakibul Hasan, earning Bangladesh the 17th spot in the final rankings.
In their group phase, Bangladesh faced a challenging start with a 5-3 defeat against Australia, propelled by Aminul Islam’s hat-trick. They subsequently managed a 3-3 draw against South Korea in their second group match. The team demonstrated resilience in their final group match, narrowly losing 3-2 to the reigning runners-up, France.
The team began the 17-24th place decider phase with a 13-0 victory over Oman, marking their first-ever Junior World Cup win. They continued their performance with a 5-3 win over South Korea, showcasing their developing prowess on the international stage.