Bangladesh clinched the Bangabandhu Cup International Kabaddi Tournament for the fourth time in a row when they beat Nepal by 45-31 points by two lonas in the final at the Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium in Mirpur on Monday.
Bangladesh also won the first three editions of the event, in 2021, 2022, and 2023, without losing a match.
The initial edition in 2021 had five teams, and it was expanded to eight teams in 2022 before becoming a 12-team competition in 2023.
In Monday鈥檚 final, the hosts went into the half-time break with a 24-10 point lead with one lona.
Bangladesh captain and player of the final, Arduzzaman Munshi, who retired from the international circuit with the match, opened the account with the maiden raid.
First-time finalists Nepal鈥檚 captain Ghanshyam Roka Magar was adjudged player of the tournament, while Bangladesh鈥檚 Mizanur Rahman and Roman Hussain won raider of the tournament and catcher of the tournament accolades, respectively.
The hosts won their first lona with Bangladesh leading 13-2, while they earned their second lona with the scoreboard showing 29-12.
鈥楾his is the biggest achievement of my life. From the beginning of the tournament, we played pressure free games as a team and won every match, and that鈥檚 how we became successful,鈥� said an emotional Arduzzaman after the final.
Bangladesh coach Coach Abdul Jalil said that he had chalked special plans to stop Ghanshyam, who is also an Indian Pro-Kabaddi League player, and that worked in the final.
鈥業 wanted to make the best use of our defender Ziaur Rahman as our secret weapon to nullify Ghanshyam, and the plan worked well in the final,鈥� said Jalil.
鈥業 am happy that I could complete my tasks. It was an honour for me that I guided the team in this tournament for the first time among local coaches,鈥� he added.
