Three-time champions Bangladesh are expecting stiff competition in their title defence in the Bangabandhu Cup International Kabaddi tournament, set to begin its fourth edition on May 26 at the Shaheed Suhrawardi Indoor Stadium in Mirpur. 

A total of 12 nations – Bangladesh, Poland, Kenya, Uganda, Indonesia, Malaysia, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Korea, Japan and Thailand will take part in the 12-day long competition in which last edition's World Cup semifinalists – Korea and Thailand – and 2007 editions' semifinalist Japan are taking part for the first time.

The participating teams are scheduled to start arriving from May 23 and the tournament draw will be held on May 25.

Bangladesh finished as the top team in the last three editions of the tournament, clinching their third successive title in 2023, beating Chinese Taipei in the final.

However, Bangladesh lost to the same opponents in the Hangzhou Asian Games last year, squandering an opportunity to win bronze, extending their medal drought in Asian Games to 17 years.

Chinese Taipei are not participating this time but the inclusion of strong teams like South Korea, Thailand and Japan is expected to increase the standard of the tournament and give hosts Bangladesh a tough time, who are going in with an inexperienced team this time around.

Bangladesh have been preparing with a new-look team under local coaches Subimal Chandra Das and Abdul Jalil for the last three months after the federation suspended some experienced players on disciplinary grounds. A few days ago, however, the federation lifted the bans on three of those players.

"We have been training with some promising players for the last three months as most of the senior players were suspended on disciplinary grounds since the completion of the Asian Games last year," head coach Subimal told The Daily Star.

"We are not expecting too much from these new players but they are talented and have the potential to perform in future."

The veteran coach also informed the squad included only five experienced players – Sabuj Mia, Razib Ahmed, Al Amin, Rasel and Mizanur Rahman – who played in last year's Asian Games in China.

Asked who are going to be the tough competitors for Bangladesh, Subimal said, "We never underestimate the opponents. We will take the field to win and try our level best to be champions.

"However, Korea, Sri Lanka and Kenya are the strongest opponents for us. We have won against them before. We will try to play as per our game plan against each of them and give them a tough fight."

Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation (BKF) president and IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun briefed the media about the 4th Bangabandhu Cup International Kabaddi at an official press conference at the Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) auditorium yesterday.

Former Bangladesh cricket team captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza MP and BKF general secretary and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Habibur Rahman were also present on the occasion.