India Reach Final After Beating Bangladesh

India secured a place in the final of the Begum Khaleda Zia IHF Nations Trophy handball tournament by defeating hosts Bangladesh 47-13 at the Shaheed Captain M Mansur Ali Handball Stadium in Paltan yesterday afternoon. India led 24-8 at half-time in their second match of the tournament.

Bangladesh had made a winning start by defeating Nepal in their opening match. However, they struggled against a strong Indian side, whose attacking play and pace put the hosts under pressure from the start. Bangladesh failed to recover after falling well behind in the first half.

India’s Ms. Bhawana scored 13 goals and was named player of the match. She has previously played in Bangladesh twice for local clubs. After the match, Ms. Bhawana said, ‘I have come here for the third time. Earlier, I played in the league here twice for local clubs. I feel very good coming here. The people here are very nice, and they support us. The accommodation here is also very good.’

Ms. Bhawana was also optimistic about winning the title. She said, ‘Our team coordination is very good. We will return with a medal from the final.’ India had defeated the Maldives in their opening match. With two consecutive victories, they secured their place in the final with one league match still to play. India will face Nepal in their final league match today.

Despite the heavy defeat, Bangladesh still have a chance to reach the final. A win over the Maldives in their final league match today would secure the hosts a place in the title decider against India. The match is therefore crucial for Bangladesh’s hopes of reaching the final.

In the day’s first match, Nepal defeated the Maldives 24-18. Nepal led 12-11 at half-time. Bimala Tamang scored seven goals for Nepal and was named player of the match.