Ahead of the Youth World Cup, the Bangladesh U-21 hockey team recently played four preparatory matches in Malaysia. Following this, the team was scheduled to travel to Switzerland in November for advanced training. However, due to visa complications, the Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BAHFE) had to cancel the tour.
The U-21 Hockey World Cup will begin in India on November 28. The team, consisting of around 25 members, was also supposed to travel to Switzerland on the same date. But the embassy could not accommodate the visa interviews for such a large group, leading to the cancellation of the tour.
New coach Ickman had planned to play two friendly matches in Switzerland, not only against the host team but also against Austria. The cancellation has caused some challenges for the Bangladesh team.
The federation now plans to send the team to India 10 days before the start of the World Cup. The youth team will depart from Dhaka on November 18. Discussions are ongoing regarding friendly matches against Switzerland and several other teams once in India.
During the World Cup preparations, the playoff series for World Cup hockey selections will also take place in Dhaka. Bangladesh will play against Pakistan on November 13, 14, and 16. Eight U-21 players are also part of the senior national team.
Khabarwala/TSN
