LATEST
‘BNP wants to govern with people’s mandate’ All Riyadh fire victims’ bodies returned Germany braces for 160,000 Gen Z protesters Global chicken exports to cross 14m tonnes Bangladesh signs $450m WB financing deal for financial sector reforms Pass rate plunges to 52.12pc Lead pollution puts children at risk Opposition alliance launches southern march Mob killings surge 39pc in October Bangladesh Must Prepare for a $200 Oil Shock – Rooppur Could Be Critical to Averting a Summer Power Crisis
Skip to content

Monday | November 02, 2026 | Dhaka

We know, the fans in Bangladesh want us to win the SAFF

 Sports Reporter
 Published: 12:02 AM, 02 November 2026

Shamit Shome is looking forward to playing in the SAFF Championship on home soil for the first time while wearing the Bangladesh jersey. The midfielder aims to deliver a strong performance in the tournament and clinch the title.

Ahead of the SAFF Championship, Shamit spoke to the media at an event on Sunday. He said, “We want to win for everyone. This is a major tournament, and I understood the expectations involved even before I signed my contract.

Most importantly, we are thrilled to be playing in front of the people of Bangladesh. We are returning to play in a Bangladeshi stadium after nearly a year-the last time we played here, we defeated India. I hope we can achieve a similar result in the SAFF Championship. We want to deliver a strong performance for all of Bangladesh.”

The Bangladesh team will be without several key players ahead of the SAFF tournament. The absence of Hamza Choudhury and Farhaan Ali Wahid as a major blow to the side. Shamit is also disappointed. Ronan Sullivan has been ruled out. But he remains confident in the rest of the squad.

Shamit said, “I heard the news five to ten minutes ago. It’s truly unfortunate. He is a good player, a promising young talent and we will miss him.

But we have many other quality players in the squad, including options in the attacking department. We will have to adapt accordingly. Hopefully, he will be able to return in the future.”

Despite the disappointment of not having Hamza and Farhaan available, Shamit remains confident in the capabilities of the replacement players. “I don’t think about it that way. My responsibility is to play my own game well and contribute to the team.

Of course, we miss Hamza and Farhaan; they are high-caliber players who add great value to the team. We have other players in whom I have confidence.

They will be able to fulfill their responsibilities according to their own capabilities. It might not be the same as having Hamza, since everyone has a different style of play-but we have the self-belief to perform well against Bhutan,” said Shamit.

Speaking about the thrill of playing in front of a Bangladeshi crowd, Shamit said, “We know that the fans in Bangladesh want us to win the SAFF Championship.

But the most significant aspect is the opportunity to play on home soil, in a stadium filled with our supporters. Their backing will provide us with an extra boost of motivation.

Over the last two or three international windows, we played abroad; while there were many Bangladeshi fans in San Marino, we didn’t receive that same level of support during the Asian Cup. This time, playing in front of a full stadium of Bangladeshi fans will be a tremendous source of inspiration for us.”