Bangladesh national women’s handball team rebounded from their previous defeat to secure a place in the final of the Begum Khaleda Zia IHF Nations Trophy with a dominant 33-20 victory over Maldives in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Playing at the Shaheed Captain M Mansur Ali National Handball Stadium in Paltan, the host nation established complete control in the opening thirty minutes. Managed by Spanish head coach Ana Alonso Fragua, Bangladesh produced a clinical attacking performance combined with tight defensive organization, storming to a commanding 17-5 lead by half-time.
Maldives offered stronger resistance after the interval, scoring 15 goals in a competitive second half. However, Bangladesh matched their opponents’ offensive output by adding 16 goals to ensure a comfortable 13-point margin of victory.
Right-wing attacker Sanjida Akter delivered a standout performance, penetrating the Maldivian defence to score a game-high eight goals. Her decisive contribution earned her the Player of the Match award. Mishti Khatun and Sakiba Shammi chipped in with four goals apiece, while team captain Ismetara Nishi added three. Fathimath Juna scored nine goals for Maldives in a spirited individual effort.
The victory completed a successful group stage recovery for the host country. Having opened their campaign with a 33-20 win over Nepal, Bangladesh suffered a heavy 47-13 setback against India in their second fixture. Tuesday’s result secured second place in the round-robin standings and set up a rematch with the tournament favorites.
In the day’s other fixture, unbeaten India secured top spot in the group by defeating Nepal 26-11 to maintain their perfect record of three wins from three matches.
Bangladesh will face India in the gold medal match at 3:00 pm on Thursday at the same venue. Nepal and Maldives will meet in the bronze medal playoff at 2:00 pm on Wednesday.
