Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)– Bangladesh stick welders lived up to the top billing as they retained the Men’s AHF Cup Hockey title thrashing Oman by 6-3 goals in the final in Bangkok on Tuesday.
Bangladesh made to final beating Sri Lanka by 5-3 in the second semifinal while Oman confirmed their final berth beating Chinese-Taipe by 2-1 goals in second semi-final.
Bangladesh hockey team was comfortably leading by 3-1 margin at the breather.
Striker Krishna Kumar struck three goals, Mamunur Rahman Chayan converted two goals and promising forward Iqbal Nadir Prince netted the other goal for Bangladesh to win the title of the qualifying meet for the 9th Men’s Asia Cup Hockey to be held in 2013.
The Asian Hockey Federation introduced the AHF Cup (Qualifying tournament for Asia Cup) from 1997 and Bangladesh had taken part in it from the third edition in 2008 where they emerged champions to qualify for the 2009 Asia Cup held in Kuantan in Malaysia as top six teams Korea, Japan, India, Pakistan, China and Malaysia are always given direct entry to the top tournament of Asia.
Since the introduction of the Asia Cup in 1982, Bangladesh played the big Asian show directly till the seventh edition but they were forced to play the second-tier qualifying tournament from 2008 and they emerged champions both times they took part.
The four semifinalists of 4th AHF Cup Bangladesh, Oman, Sri Lanka and Singapore have qualified for the ninth Asia Cup though the last edition saw AHF Cup champions Bangladesh were given entry to play with top six auto-qualifiers
Bangladesh team will return home Wednesday night.
BBN/SSR/AD-24Apr12-11:55 pm (BST)
