Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuiyan is determined to end the Nepal tour on a high by winning the second friendly match.
Sitting beside veteran striker Bharat Khawas, Nepal coach Mat Raws patted his player’s back and said, “We want to give him a special farewell night.” The reason is clear — after almost 17 years of representing Nepal, Khawas will retire following Tuesday’s match against Bangladesh.
However, Jamal isn’t interested in letting emotions affect Bangladesh’s focus. Speaking firmly, he said that Khawas’ farewell is Nepal’s concern, not theirs.
The two teams will face off on Tuesday at 5:45 PM at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu. In the first friendly on Saturday, Bangladesh managed to hold Nepal to a goalless draw at the same venue, where Khawas was not part of the squad.
Khawas, who once scored against Bangladesh in the 2013 SAFF Championship, is eager to end his international career on a winning note. But Jamal is equally determined to script another victory over Nepal — something Bangladesh hasn’t achieved since 2020.
“Of course, the coach has already said that we want to return home with three points, and that’s the most important thing for us. We want to finish the Nepal tour on a positive note, meaning winning this match — that’s our ultimate goal,” Jamal said.
Regarding Khawas’ farewell, Jamal remained unfazed:
“Honestly, that’s Nepal’s matter, not ours. We don’t feel any pressure because we’ll focus on our own plans and goals. Whatever happens with Nepal and their players is their concern. Our concern is achieving our target and delivering our best performance.”
With key players like Hamza Choudhury, Shomit Som, and Fahmidul Islam missing from the squad, questions have been raised about whether Bangladesh has enough firepower. Jamal, however, strongly defended his current teammates:
“As a footballer, when you step onto the field, you can’t think about who’s missing. You focus on the players beside you, the ones sharing the field with you. They’re the ones you’ll fight with, and they deserve respect.”
“I don’t think about who’s absent or who we’re missing. I have ten strong teammates on the field, and I’m fully focused on them. The first match was good for us, but now our eyes are on tomorrow’s game, and I believe we’ll deliver a better performance.”
