Bangladesh enter semifinals as group champions

Bangladesh emerged as the group A champions in the Bangabandhu Cup International Kabaddi with a hard fought 46-31 win against sub-continental challengers Nepal held at the Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor
Stadium on Friday.

After four consecutive wins in the group Bangladesh had to sweat hard as Nepal appeared to a nut tougher than expected by Arduzzaman and Co.

However the teamwork assisted the holders to make it five in a row. Nepal tasted their first defeat and finished runners-up in the group.

Mizanur Rahamn, the ace raider was high flying again scoring 20 points, was adjudged the man of the match for his impressive performance.

The fiercely competitive affair saw the score line locked 9-9 at the end of the ten minute. The raider's efficiency of both the teams saw them both earning points in regular basis.

The score line proceeded with 13-13, 14-13, 14-14 with players going out and coming in. However Bangladesh kept their nerve cool at the finishing stage of the first half and managed to take a lead of 18-14 when the referees signaled the pause and asked to change the ends.

Bangladesh earned their first lona at the very beginning of the second half and Mizanur Rahman's super raid that send two Nepalese players out helped Bangladesh to take the score line to 23-16. Within minutes Bangladesh earned
the second lona running to take a lead of 15 points in the score line of 31-16.

Nepal however came back strong as Bangladesh conceded their first lona in the meet when Nepal sent all the Bangladesh players out on their score of 23. But Bangladesh reunited to have the last laugh as the winners.