Bangladesh secured the SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship title in style with a commanding 4–0 victory over Nepal. The star of the show was Sagarika, who scored all four goals and became the undisputed hero of the match. Speaking after the game, the striker revealed that the hunger born out of her time off the pitch—due to a red card suspension—fuelled her determination to score.
Sagarika was the centre of attention at the post-match press conference held at Dhaka’s Bashundhara Kings Arena. She was joined by coach Peter Butler and team captain Afida Khandaker. Reflecting on the win, Sagarika said, “It feels amazing. I felt really bad not being able to play. That created a fire inside me—I was determined to score against Nepal. My teammates were also encouraging me, saying, ‘Show them what you’ve got against Nepal.’ I’m really happy I could deliver today.”
Having received a red card in an earlier match against Nepal, Sagarika missed three consecutive games. That forced break only made her hungrier, something she proved with her performance on the pitch. Despite playing just three matches in the entire tournament, she netted eight goals. However, she couldn’t claim the top scorer title—something that left a small note of regret in her voice: “If I’d played all three matches, maybe I could’ve become the top scorer. But I’ve learned a lot from this too. You can’t lose your temper—especially as a forward, you have to keep a cool head.”
But it’s not just Sagarika’s ability to put the ball in the back of the net that sets her apart. Her first goal in the final brought to mind a recent strike by Lionel Messi for Inter Miami, where he coolly bypassed the goalkeeper before scoring. Sagarika possesses not only a killer final touch but also impressive dribbling, great link-up play with teammates, and a high-pressing, aggressive style of winning the ball back from opponents. Altogether, she’s shaping up to be the complete forward.
Sagarika has been consistently impressive at age-level competitions. Though she’s already in the national squad, she’s yet to become a regular fixture. However, this performance in the SAFF Championship may have opened the door wider. Coach Peter Butler echoed this sentiment: “She’s undoubtedly a fantastic forward. This performance sends a strong message about her readiness for the senior team. That said, players like Tohura, Shamsunnahar, and Ritu are already doing really well at the senior level, so it won’t be an easy path for Sagarika. But she certainly has the potential.”