Dhaka: The Bangladesh national cricket team has commenced its training camp at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur as they gear up for the upcoming Asian Games. The camp, which started today, marks the beginning of Bangladesh's quest for their first gold medal in Asian Games cricket since 2010.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, most of the announced squad members participated in the inaugural training session. Notably absent were pacer Shariful Islam, who is currently on leave and expected to join on September 15, and Hasan Mahmud, who is playing county cricket in England. Additionally, players representing Bangladesh 'A' team in South Africa will join the squad upon their return.
The 20th Asian Games are set to take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. The men's T20 cricket competition will commence on September 24. Bangladesh has secured a direct entry to the quarterfinals, along with India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, based on their rankings. Bangladesh's campaign will kick off on September 28 against the winner of Group B, which includes Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Oman.
The men's cricket event will feature 14 teams. Following the group-stage matches from September 24-26, the quarterfinals will be held on September 28 and 29, with the semi-finals scheduled for October 1. The final and bronze-medal match will take place on October 3.
Bangladesh, which won the bronze medal in the previous Asian Games, is focusing on securing the gold this time. Officials have emphasized that the Mirpur camp will concentrate on enhancing players' fitness, match preparation, and team coordination to achieve their goal.
The squad for the Asian Games includes: Liton Das (Captain), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon, Mohammed Saif Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tawhid Hridoy (Vice Captain), Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Rishad Hossain, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Shaifuddin, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, and Hasan Mahmud.