Bangladesh are set to face Nepal in a FIFA international friendly on Thursday at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, and all eyes will be on two new faces — Hamza Choudhury and Samit Som. English-born midfielder Hamza Choudhury arrived in Dhaka on Monday afternoon and joined the national team’s training session the following day. Canada-based midfielder Samit Som was expected to arrive in Dhaka on Tuesday night, and if all goes according to plan, he will get at least one training session with the team before the match.
Head coach Javier Cabrera confirmed that the Nepal match is part of a larger preparation strategy aimed at the upcoming AFC Asian Cup qualifier against India on 18 November. Speaking to reporters after training, the Spanish coach said, “Our preparation is progressing well as planned. We have held multiple team discussions, both before and during training sessions. While we are focused on Thursday’s game, our main goal remains the match against India.”
The friendly against Nepal is being viewed as a dress rehearsal for the all-important qualifier against India. Bangladesh last faced India in March this year in Shillong, which ended in a goalless draw. Cabrera noted the importance of assessing new players ahead of that crucial fixture. “Today’s session was vital as we discussed tactical details with the players. Samit will join the team on Wednesday night, and we’ll assess his condition before making a final decision. We’re taking every precaution to ensure both players are fit and ready for India, but I expect both Hamza and Samit to feature against Nepal,” Cabrera said.
Although both Bangladesh and India have been eliminated from qualification contention, anticipation around their upcoming encounter remains high. Tickets for the Nepal friendly were sold out within hours of going online, reflecting the growing interest among supporters. Historically, Bangladesh have struggled against India — in their last four meetings, India won once while three ended in draws. The last time Bangladesh beat India was in the 2003 SAFF Championship semi-final. After nearly two decades of waiting, Bangladeshi fans are hopeful that this year’s campaign might finally end that drought on home soil.