Bangladesh set for do-or-die clash against Thailand

Bangladesh will meet Thailand on Saturday in a must-win Women’s Kabaddi World Cup fixture that will determine their place in the semi-finals. Victory at the Shaheed Suhrawardi Indoor Stadium in Mirpur would guarantee the hosts their first medal in the competition’s history, while defeat would end their hopes of reaching the last four.

Bangladesh previously finished fifth in the inaugural 2012 edition, narrowly losing their quarter-final 15–17 to Japan after topping their group. Under the guidance of coaches Arduzzaman Munshi and Shahnaz Parvin Maleka, the current squad are intent on surpassing that performance.

Bangladesh coach Shahnaz Parvin Maleka said the team has a few minor but non-serious injuries and that they are fully prepared with a clear match plan finalised through video analysis. She added that they seek the nation’s prayers as they aim to deliver a positive result for the country.

“There are a few minor injuries in the team. It’s nothing serious – injuries are part of the game. We are prepared. The girls have been instructed clearly on how to approach the match. We have finalised the strategy during video analysis sessions. We ask for everyone’s prayers so that we can bring something good for the country,” Shahnaz Parvin said.

This will be Bangladesh’s fourth outing of the tournament, having opened with a 42–22 win over Uganda and a dominant 57–27 triumph over Germany, before falling 18–43 to defending champions India. Thailand also sit on four points, recovering from a heavy loss to India with strong wins over Uganda and Germany, setting up a high-stakes showdown.