Hamza to captain Bangladesh for the first time, three changes against Sri Lanka - Prothom Alo English

<p>He has worn the captain's armband for Leicester City and led England's age-group teams. Now Hamza Choudhury is set to take on the same responsibility for Bangladesh. The midfielder will lead the national team for the first time after making 13 appearances for the country.</p><p>Hamza will captain Bangladesh in their final group-stage match of the SAFF Championship against Sri Lanka today. The match will kick off at 8pm at the National Stadium. According to team sources, there will also be three changes to the starting XI.</p><p>Hamza and Farhan Ali could not feature in Bangladesh's opening match against Bhutan. Both are set to return to the starting XI. Jamal Bhuiyan and Faisal Ahmed will make way for them.</p>.<p>There will also be a change in the attacking department. Mohammad Ibrahim came on as a substitute against Bhutan and scored Bangladesh's only goal in the 1-0 victory. The team now plans to start him in the match against Sri Lanka. He will play as the number nine, meaning Bishwanath Ghosh will drop out of the starting XI. The defender sustained an injury during training the day after the Bhutan match.</p>.<p>Hamza's appointment as captain was not certain even on the previous day. Speaking to the media ahead of the Sri Lanka match, he said he was in no hurry to become captain and would accept whatever decision the coach made. Ultimately, the coach has decided to hand him the armband.</p> .<p>Captaincy, however, is nothing new to Hamza. He was a regular captain of Leicester City's under-23 team. He also wore the captain's armband in several matches for Leicester's senior team during the 2023–24 season. But the 29-year-old footballer's experience of leading Bangladesh begins today.</p><p>The match is also crucial for Bangladesh's bid to finish top of the group. The hosts have already secured a place in the semifinals with a 1-0 victory over Bhutan. A win against Sri Lanka today will guarantee Bangladesh the top spot in the group. Even a draw will be enough to keep them at the top.</p> .<p>Mehedi Hasan, Zidan Yousuf, Tariq Kazi, Saad Uddin, Zayan Ahmed, Hamza Choudhury (captain), Farhan Ali, Rakib Hossain, Shamit Som, Kazem Shah and Mohammad Ibrahim.</p>