Midfielder Hamza Choudhury was not involved in the Bangladesh preliminary training camp which got underway in Dhaka on Friday ahead of the upcoming AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against India next month
The Bengal Tigers will play Manolo Marquez’s men at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong, on March 25 in the first match of the third round of qualifiers, with a 30-member preliminary squad, shortlisted on Wednesday.
It will have a camp in the national capital till March 4 after which it will fly to Saudi Arabia for two weeks of training.
Two members of that squad, Hamza and Fahamedul Islam, who have earned maiden national team call-ups, were absent as they are currently playing in European leagues.
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Hamza, a former England under-21 international, switched allegiance to Bangladesh in 2024 since his mother is from Habibganj district, and is the stand-out name on the roster.
A defensive midfielder and, at times, a full-back for Leicester City, the 27-year-old won the FA Cup and the FA Community Shield in 2021 with the Foxes, before helping it win the EFL Championship and return to the Premier League three years later.
Currently on loan at Sheffield United in the Championship, Hamza will miss both training camps, with league games scheduled on March 1, 8, 12 and 16.
Hamza is expected to join the squad when it returns to Bangladesh, on March 18, before leaving for India.
Meanwhile, Fahamedul, who signed for Italian fourth-division side Olbia Calcio 1905 earlier this month, is expected to join the team in Saudi Arabia.
Bangladesh is drawn with India, Hong Kong (China), and Singapore in the qualifiers and will host Singapore (on June 10) and Hong Kong (on October 9) in the first round of games, after the match in Shillong next month.
The last time India and Bangladesh met, the match ended in a 1-1 draw at the 2021 SAFF Championships, with Sunil Chhetri and Yeasan Arafat scoring a goal each for their respective sides.
Bangladesh preliminary squad:
Goalkeepers: Mitul Marma, Sujon Hossain, and Mehdi Hasan Srabon.
Defenders: Shakil Ahad, Shakil Hossain, Rahmat Mia, Isa Faisal, Mohammad Tajuddin, Tariq Raihan Kazi, Topu Barma, Saad Uddin, Sushanto Tripura, Mohammad Ridoy, Papon Singh, and Syed Shah Quazem Kirmanee.
Midfielders: Md Sohel Rana, Sohel Rana, Chandon Roy, Mojibar Rahman Jony, Shekh Morsalin, Jamal Bhuyan, Hamza Dewan Chowdhury, Foysal Ahmed Fahim.
Forwards: Rakib Hossain, Shahriar Emon, Mohammad Ibrahim, Arif Hossain, Al Amin, Piash Ahmad Nova, and Fahamedul Islam.
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com