Hamza Choudhury will captain Bangladesh for the first time when they face Sri Lanka in their final SAFF Championship group match at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Wednesday.
The Sheffield United midfielder has previously worn the captain’s armband for Leicester City and represented England at youth level, but this will be his first time leading Bangladesh. He has made 13 appearances for the national team since making his debut.
The match, which kicks off at 8:00pm, will also see Bangladesh make three changes to their starting XI following their 1-0 victory over Bhutan in the opening game.
Hamza and Farhaan Ali Wahid, who missed the Bhutan match, are set to return to the starting line-up. Their inclusion means captain Jamal Bhuyan and Faisal Ahmed are expected to make way.
There will also be a change up front, with Mohammad Ibrahim likely to start as the central striker. Ibrahim came off the bench to score the winner against Bhutan, while defender Bishwanath Ghosh is set to drop out after picking up an injury during training the day after that match.
Hamza’s captaincy had not been confirmed until Wednesday. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, he said he was in no hurry to take the role and would accept whatever decision head coach Thomas Dooley made. The coach has now handed him the responsibility.
Bangladesh have already secured a place in the semi-finals after beating Bhutan. A victory over Sri Lanka would confirm their position at the top of the group, while even a draw would be enough to keep them there.
Bangladesh probable XI: Mehedi Hasan Srabon (GK), Zidane Yousuf, Tariq Kazi, Saad Uddin, Zayyan Ahmed, Hamza Choudhury (Captain), Farhaan Ali Wahid, Rakib Hossain, Shamit Shome, Quazem Shah and Mohammad Ibrahim.
