Bangladeshi-origin English Premier League footballer Hamza Dewan Chowdhury, who is included in the 30-member Bangladesh preliminary squad for the AFC Asian Cup 2025 qualifiers, is optimistic about securing a victory against India.

Hamza, who arrived with his family today, spoke to the media outside the Osmani International Airport in Sylhet.

“It is amazing, amazing, I am very excited to come here after 11 years, I do hope, Inshallah, we will be able to win against India in the ensuing match on March 25”, he said.

Hamza’s mother Rafia Dewan Chowdhury, Wife Olivia Choudhury, their three kids and Hamza’s two brothers, physio and one official were with him.

From the airport, Hamza travelled to his village home in Bahubal upazila, Habiganj. After spending one or two days at his village home, Hamza will travel to Dhaka on either Tuesday or Wednesday to join the Bangladesh national football team camp.

Hamza will attend the Bangladesh team's official press conference at the team hotel in Dhaka on Wednesday (March 19), where he will address the press alongside the team coach and captain.

The full squad of the Bangladesh national team including Hamza Chowdhury, is expected to have their final practice session on Wednesday afternoon or evening, following the team’s official photo session.

The national team will fly to Kolkata on Thursday morning (March 20) en route to Shillong for their AFC Asian Cup Qualifier match against India on March 25.

Earlier, the Bangladesh football team reached the Saudi Arabian city of Taif about two weeks ago to undergo a 12-day intensive training for the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers match against India.

Hamza is scheduled to return to London on March 28.

MSH

Bangladeshi wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim is set to feature for Fortune Barishal in the forthcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

Mushfiqur had played for Sylhet Strikers in the last edition. His price was fixed at 80 lakhs in the players' draft according to the category. Which means he was in 'A' category.

The top category player will play along with other star players like Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Khaled Ahmed in Fortune Barishal.

Neymar said he was relishing “new challenges and opportunities in new places” after he joined Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal Tuesday, becoming the latest big name lured to the oil-rich Gulf state.

The Brazil forward, 31, ends a six-year stay in the French capital and follows in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane in swapping Europe for the Middle East.

“I have achieved a lot in Europe and enjoyed special times, but I have always wanted to be a global player and test myself with new challenges and opportunities in new places,” Neymar said in a statement from the Saudi Pro League.

“I want to write new sporting history, and the Saudi Pro League has tremendous energy and quality players at the moment,” he added.

Neymar was “in negotiations” on Sunday to become the latest football superstar to decamp for Saudi Arabia, leaving Paris Saint-Germain just as Kylian Mbappe was brought back in from the cold by the French champions.

A source close to PSG told AFP that 31-year-old Neymar “no longer figures in the club or manager’s plans” with the Brazilian immediately linked to Al-Hilal in the Gulf kingdom.

Another source in Saudi Arabia said that “direct negotiations” between Neymar’s agents and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) were ongoing.