After days of speculation and excitement, England-born midfielder Hamza Choudhury has finally arrived in Dhaka to join the Bangladesh national football team ahead of two crucial fixtures— a friendly against Nepal on 13 November and the AFC Asian Cup Qualifier against India on 18 November, both set to take place at the National Stadium in Dhaka, reports the Daily Sun.
Hamza touched down in Dhaka on Monday evening, around 5 PM, a few hours later than originally scheduled. According to Bangladesh team manager Amer Khan, the Leicester City midfielder was supposed to arrive at 12 PM, but a heavy traffic jam in England caused him to miss his scheduled BFF-booked flight.
Not wanting to delay further, Hamza arranged his own flight and eventually landed in Dhaka about five hours behind schedule.
The Bangladesh team had no training session on Monday and remained at their team hotel, where Hamza went straight upon arrival to meet his teammates and coaching staff.
The 28-year-old midfielder is expected to join his first training session on Tuesday at the Basundhara Kings Arena, as head coach Javier Cabrera begins fine-tuning the squad’s preparation for the two home matches.
Hamza, who made his Bangladesh debut earlier this year, has been seen as a major addition to the national setup with his Premier League experience and composure in midfield. His presence is expected to bring stability and leadership to Cabrera’s young side as they gear up for one of their biggest tests in recent years against regional rivals India.
Meanwhile, Canada-based midfielder Shamit Shome is also set to join the squad. The Cavalry FC playmaker is expected to arrive late Tuesday night, after wrapping up his club season in the Canadian Premier League, where his team finished runners-up following a 2–1 extra-time defeat to Atlético Ottawa in the final.
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
