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Bangladesh coach Thomas Duly has expressed full confidence in Hamza Choudhury’s leadership, saying the midfielder has no alternative as captain after leading the national side to a convincing 4-0 victory over Sri Lanka.
Hamza captained Bangladesh for the first time on Wednesday, marking his leadership debut with an impressive performance that included a goal and helped the team secure a place in the tournament semi-finals as group champions.
Duly made it clear that he wanted Hamza to continue wearing the captain’s armband in the remaining matches, including Saturday’s semi-final against Pakistan.
“There’s no better captain than Hamza. There’s no question about that. I hope that whenever he plays, he wants to captain every single game,” the Bangladesh coach said at the post-match press conference.
The coach also explained that Hamza’s leadership qualities extend beyond the formal responsibility of wearing the armband.
“When I first came in, I was told that Hamza didn’t want to be captain, which was why Jamal (Bhuiyan) was captain. But Hamza doesn’t really need to be captain. The players naturally follow what he says. So the armband is not important to him,” Duly said.
He also highlighted Hamza’s importance in communicating with match officials and providing leadership on the pitch.
“He’s probably the only player in our team who can speak to the referee. His presence on the pitch is very important. We need a player like that in the team,” he added.
Hamza also took on a different role against Sri Lanka. Usually deployed in a defensive midfield position, the 29-year-old played as an attacking midfielder, or number 10, at the National Stadium on Wednesday.
He adapted impressively to the new role, scoring a goal and contributing to Bangladesh’s dominant display.
The emphatic victory secured Bangladesh’s place in the last four as group champions, setting up a semi-final clash with Pakistan on Saturday.
With a place in the final at stake, Hamza’s form, influence and leadership are expected to be crucial as Bangladesh continue their push for the title.
